Economic and environmental considerations. A review of past and present practices [distribution network planning]

The strategic planning of any distribution system cannot be divorced from the economic and environmental considerations. The relative importance and priority of each aspect has and will continue to be dependent upon the social and political factors of the day. Here, the author describes how the thrust of technological developments seem to be focused on: (i) making underground systems as cheap as overhead networks; or (ii) making overhead systems “operationally” like underground systems