US utility Duke Energy plans to spend $1.3bn to bury 20% of South Carolina's electricity lines following the destruction caused by hurricanes Irma and Matthew. The decade-long project is part of a $3bn initiative to upgrade the state's grid that includes retrofitting transformers, installing smart meters and self-optimising 80% of the grid. But while some utilities are already working on ways to reduce their carbon footprint, others have been slow in adopting new technologies.
US utility Duke Energy plans to spend $1.3bn to bury 20% of South Carolina's electricity lines following the destruction caused by hurricanes Irma and Matthew. The decade-long project is part of a $3bn initiative to upgrade the state's grid that includes retrofitting transformers, installing smart meters and self-optimising 80% of the grid. The move follows a $13bn plan for North Carolina, which carries an estimated rate increase of $530m a year to 2026 to offset costs.