Differences Between Overhead and Underground Power Lines on the Practical Example of the DV 20 kV Črešnjevci Overhead Line

The aim of their diploma thesis was to present the differences between overhead and underground power lines on the practical example of the DV 20 kV Črešnjevci overhead line, which was implemented as the ** KB 20 kV Črešnjevci** cable line in 2022 due to the requirement to increase operational reliability and robustness. They wanted to determine whether the implementation of an overhead power line represents a greater intervention in nature than the implementation of an underground power line, whether the implementation of overhead power lines is cheaper than the construction of underground power lines, whether the implementation of an overhead power line is more dangerous during the execution of works than the implementation of an underground power line, and whether an underground power line represents a higher level of safety for the population and the economy than an overhead power line.

Problem

The aim of their diploma thesis was to present the differences between overhead and underground power lines on the practical example of the DV 20 kV Črešnjevci overhead line, which was implemented as the ** KB 20 kV Črešnjevci** cable line in 2022 due to the requirement to increase operational reliability and robustness.

Results

They wanted to determine whether the implementation of an overhead power line represents a greater intervention in nature than the implementation of an underground power line, whether the implementation of overhead power lines is cheaper than the construction of underground power lines, whether the implementation of an overhead power line is more dangerous during the execution of works than the implementation of an underground power line, and whether an underground power line represents a higher level of safety for the population and the economy than an overhead power line. The hypotheses were verified on the basis of a review of legislative requirements for construction, a comparison of construction costs from project documentation for the execution of construction, a review of legislative requirements for work and statistical data on accidents at work and dangerous events in electricity distribution companies, and a review of technical conditions for construction and statistical data on continuity of supply.

Procedurally, the new construction of a 20 kV overhead line does not differ significantly from the new construction of a 20 kV cable line. Neither of them is a facility with environmental impacts for which an environmental impact assessment would have to be carried out before the start of the intervention in accordance with regulations governing environmental protection. If we do not take into account the service life, we could conclude that the implementation of a 20 kV overhead line with concrete supports is slightly cheaper than the construction of a 20 kV cable line, but taking into account the service life, we must conclude that the implementation of a 20 kV overhead line with concrete supports is slightly more expensive than the construction of a 20 kV cable line.

With respect for and implementation of measures to ensure safety and health at work, hazards at work should not occur either during the implementation of a 20 kV overhead line or during the implementation of a 20 kV cable line. From the safety point of view, the regulations basically ensure the same level of safety for the population and the economy for both 20 kV overhead lines and 20 kV cable lines, whilst from the point of view of continuity of supply, due to force majeure, external and internal causes, 20 kV cable lines provide a significantly higher level of safety than 20 kV overhead lines.