USING GOPHURRS TO BURY POWERLINES?

The article discusses an initiative under the Department of Energy's Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) in the United States that aims to enhance the reliability of the power grid by burying powerlines underground. The initiative, called GOPHURRS (Grid overhaul with proactive, high-speed undergrounding for reliability, resilience, and security), seeks to develop new technology solutions that reduce costs, increase speed, and improve the reliability and safety of undergrounding the grid. The program involves various projects and participants, including Prysmian Group, which is developing a hands-free power cable splicing machine to improve worker safety and reduce network failures. The article also highlights the benefits of undergrounding powerlines, such as improved system reliability and reduced susceptibility to weather events. [Extracted from the article]