Seattle's Wealthiest Neighborhoods Face $2 Billion Bill for Aging Buried Power Lines
Residents in some of Seattle's most affluent neighborhoods, including Laurelhurst, Madison Park, Magnolia, and Queen Anne, are facing a potential $2 billion bill to replace aging underground power lines. These lines were originally buried over 60 years ago at the request of residents who wanted to beautify their areas by removing visible poles and wires. The cables were installed directly into the wet Seattle soil without protective conduits, and are now deteriorating, leading to frequent and prolonged power outages. Seattle City Light estimates that replacing the 330 miles of faulty cable could cost $2 billion. KIRO host Gee Scott highlighted that this situation exemplifies a pattern where gains are privatized, but problems become socialized, meaning the cost of repairs would likely be spread across all Seattle City Light customers through higher rates, regardless of whether they benefited from the original decision to bury the lines. 
