Since my family moved to North Yarmouth four years ago, we’ve lost power innumerable times. Last week, no power for three hours; Saturday, a short blip, a seemingly weekly occurrence.

Most Mainers lost power for several days last Halloween. (Us? Five.) We’ve had Christmas here with no power for two days, along with no power on Thanksgiving for two more. (Watch out, Hanukkah.)

Last November, after the Halloween That Wasn’t, we visited Ocho Rios, Jamaica, where one sees a stunning lack of infrastructure, minus the new toll highway from Ochi to Kingston, funded and built by the Chinese. On our last full day at the resort, we lost power – in Maine (I got a CMP text message). Thankfully, power was restored before we lost our perishables, if not my patience.

Obviously, having a generator is key. I’ve been stunned by how many people I know who don’t have one. Yet the question beckons: Why don’t we bury our power lines like in Europe?

Well, it’s more expensive. And we know that power companies are only interested in their profits, nothing more. (Just like the oil and gas industries when it comes to climate change.) And to the Grand Obstruction Party, infrastructure is seen as welfare.

Also, terrorists know our antiquated electrical infrastructure is ripe for mayhem. Gas lines and sewers are buried. Isn’t it time we bury our power lines? Fewer power outages, fewer poles for vehicles to crash into, fewer accidental electrocutions, more energy security. Bury the darn lines.

Kris Eric Kucera
North Yarmouth

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