Dive Brief:

• The New Hampshire Legislature is considering requiring new transmission lines to be built underground except for ones deemed needed for reliability reasons by the New England grid operator.

• The bill, sponsored by the Senate majority leader, would call on a state agency to develop at least two transmission corridors crossing the state. All new transmission lines would have to be built in the corridors.

• Northeast Utilities, which is developing the $1.4 billion Northern Pass transmission project, opposes the bill, saying it would drive up costs.

Dive Insight:

New Hampshire isn't alone in thinking about burying power lines. This winter's stretch of nasty weather has revived calls to bury power lines around the U.S. While more reliable, under ground lines cost up to ten times as much as overhead lines and are harder to repair. The thought of burying lines in New Hampshire – the Granite State – seems daunting.