Downed Power Lines
According to the Edison Electric Institute, the top five causes of power outages in the United States are:
- Mother Nature – More than half of all power outages across the U.S. are caused by nature. High winds, lightning, ice and heavy rains can affect an aboveground power line directly or indirectly by causing trees or other debris to strike it. Overgrown vegetation can also short out aboveground equipment.
- Automobile Accidents – Over five percent of all power outages are caused by a vehicle striking an electrical pole or transformer.
- Wildlife – A smaller percentage of power outages is caused by animals coming in contact with the line or equipment, causing it to fail.
- Construction – Whether new construction or maintenance, cranes and dig-ins are another major threat to the power supply.
- Fire – Aboveground feeds are vulnerable to fire destroying equipment at any point along the line’s path.
Construction workers lay electrical conduit 4 feet underground.
By deploying an underground power feed, Texas 1 avoids being affected by the risks listed above. By encasing the feed in concrete, we’ve added an additional layer to protect against digging, boring, and tree root growth. Our objective is to provide our customers with the best, most reliable data center for mission-critical operation. In fact, the entire power infrastructure at Texas 1 has been constructed to provide a constant and consistent level of power. For more information regarding the Texas 1 power infrastructure, visit the power section of the Texas 1 page.
