Underground power infrastructure throughout the United States—especially in populated urban areas—broadly consists of pipe-type cables. Much of the pipe-type cable network that exists today was installed during the mid-20th century. Now between 50-70 years old, this legacy infrastructure operates well beyond its intended service life of 50 years.
These systems were the backbone of urban expansion in the 1950s through the 1970s. Today, they are also tasked with supporting increased energy consumption. Energy demand is experiencing its highest growth in two decades, largely driven by electrification and digital transformation. More specifically, growth is driven by the proliferation of electric vehicles (EVs) and the explosive growth of data centers for the adoption of new AI technologies.
Growing electrification across the board is pushing legacy systems beyond their limits, particularly in densely populated urban centers such as New York City and Chicago. These areas use underground pipe-type cable systems for reliable power distribution. As these systems age, there is a critical need for reliable, cost-effective solutions without the enormous investment required for full-scale replacement.
Systematic rehabilitation of pipe type cable networks with high-strength composite repair systems
The U.S. Is A “D” Student For Energy Infrastructure
According to the 2025 Report Card for America’s Infrastructure, the American Society of Civil Engineers gives U.S. infrastructure an overall grade of C, with the energy sector specifically rated at D+. This score reflects years of chronic underinvestment and a growing gap between available funds and actual needs.
While energy transmission investments have increased by $5 billion between 2017-2022, this has not been sufficient to close the funding gap. The report estimates that $1,886 billion is needed to modernize the energy infrastructure, while only $1,308 billion has been allocated, leaving a shortfall of $578 billion. The consequences of this underfunding are tangible: even brief power interruptions can disrupt supply chains and inflate production costs, underscoring the urgency of targeted maintenance and infrastructure investment.
Pipe-Type Cables: A Decades-Old Reliable Solution
Spanning an impressive 4100 circuit miles throughout the U.S., legacy high-pressure fluid-filled (HPFF) pipe-type cable systems represent a cornerstone of underground power transmission in the United States. These systems were developed during the height of the New Deal era, with the first installation beginning in 1931. The advantages of HPFF pipe type cables—high overload capacity, minimal magnetic fields, compact trenching, and proven long-term reliability—solidified their position as the leading choice for urban bulk transmission, with more than 80% of U.S. underground high-voltage circuits still relying on these designs.
These systems are ideal where overhead lines are impractical due to space constraints, visibility concerns, or weather exposure. In highly populated urban areas such as New York, Boston, and Chicago, HPFF systems continue to play a critical role in energy distribution, even as they age well past their original intended service life of approximately 40 years.
Composite Solutions for Rehabilitating Pipe Type Cables
Corrosion of steel pipes—the leading threat to pipe type cable systems—is primary caused by long-term exposure road runoff containing salt. Combined with coating degradation over time, these factors can cause integrity issues to quickly compound. Because inspection capabilities of these underground systems are limited, leaks and failures can go undetected until severe damage is done to the system. When failures inevitably occur, repairs can take weeks or months, causing extended outages. Operators work hard to avoid this outcome, as these pipe-type cable networks are vital for densely populated urban areas.
When weighing long-term solutions for aging pipe-type cable systems, utilities face three paths: wait for failures and repair reactively, strategically rehabilitate existing HPFF systems, or conduct full replacement of thousands of miles of critical pipe-type cable networks.
Reactive repairs result in costly emergency work, environmental cleanup, and prolonged outages. Furthermore, waiting for issues to arise almost guarantees that damages will be more extensive than utilizing a more proactive approach. Full replacement is often financially prohibitive given the volume of HPFF infrastructure still in service and the logistical hurdles that accompany urban excavation.
Strategic rehabilitation of existing infrastructure presents the most compelling benefits, emphasizing a proactive approach that remains cost-conscious. Carbon fiber composite reinforcement of aging pipe-type cables systems provides a compelling alternative to full system replacement.
Unlike steel, composites cannot corrode (even with intense exposure to salt runoff), require no hot work, and add minimal weight to existing pipe-type cable structures. They can be installed quickly over damaged sections of steel pipe and deliver decades of service life extension at a fraction of the cost of full replacement.
Unlike traditional welded repairs, which require extensive surface preparation and can interfere with the pipe’s cathodic protection, carbon fiber repairs can be applied directly over existing coatings. For utilities managing hundreds of miles of HPFF lines, composite repairs represent a practical, cost-effective strategy to extend asset life, reduce risk, and maintain reliability without the financial and logistical burden of complete replacement.
Case Study: New York City’s Multi-Year Underground Power Transmission Network Restoration
Since 2016, nearly 48,000 linear feet of pipe-type cables have been reinforced using Advanced FRP’s carbon fiber composite systems in New York City alone. This city-wide initiative provides essential reinforcement to NYC’s aging high-pressure, fluid-filled (HPFF) pipe-type cable systems. This system dates back more than 50 years, and it has become prone to frequent dielectric fluid leaks from external corrosion.
Nearly 10 years in, this ongoing repair project continues to provide critical support to the city’s aging HPFF infrastructure while delivering 50+ years of leak-free, maintenance-free service.
Systematic rehabilitation of pipe type cable networks with high-strength composite repair systems
The Importance of Expert Partnership
To ensure successful deployment, training and collaboration with qualified partners is essential. Advanced FRP Systems offers specialized training programs to equip facility operators, managers, and supervisors with the skills needed to implement these solutions effectively. For utilities and municipalities seeking to reinforce their aging pipe-type cable infrastructure, schedule a free consultation to learn how our experienced team can help meet your training and solution implementation needs.
Underground Power Infrastructure Throughout the U.S. Is Aging – What is the Maintenance Solution?
Underground power infrastructure throughout the United States—especially in populated urban areas—broadly consists of pipe-type cables. Much of the pipe-type cable network that exists today was installed during the mid-20th century. Now between 50-70 years old, this legacy infrastructure operates well beyond its intended service life of 50 years.
These systems were the backbone of urban expansion in the 1950s through the 1970s. Today, they are also tasked with supporting increased energy consumption. Energy demand is experiencing its highest growth in two decades, largely driven by electrification and digital transformation. More specifically, growth is driven by the proliferation of electric vehicles (EVs) and the explosive growth of data centers for the adoption of new AI technologies.
Growing electrification across the board is pushing legacy systems beyond their limits, particularly in densely populated urban centers such as New York City and Chicago. These areas use underground pipe-type cable systems for reliable power distribution. As these systems age, there is a critical need for reliable, cost-effective solutions without the enormous investment required for full-scale replacement.
Systematic rehabilitation of pipe type cable networks with high-strength composite repair systems
The U.S. Is A “D” Student For Energy Infrastructure
According to the 2025 Report Card for America’s Infrastructure, the American Society of Civil Engineers gives U.S. infrastructure an overall grade of C, with the energy sector specifically rated at D+. This score reflects years of chronic underinvestment and a growing gap between available funds and actual needs.
While energy transmission investments have increased by $5 billion between 2017-2022, this has not been sufficient to close the funding gap. The report estimates that $1,886 billion is needed to modernize the energy infrastructure, while only $1,308 billion has been allocated, leaving a shortfall of $578 billion. The consequences of this underfunding are tangible: even brief power interruptions can disrupt supply chains and inflate production costs, underscoring the urgency of targeted maintenance and infrastructure investment.
Pipe-Type Cables: A Decades-Old Reliable Solution
Spanning an impressive 4100 circuit miles throughout the U.S., legacy high-pressure fluid-filled (HPFF) pipe-type cable systems represent a cornerstone of underground power transmission in the United States. These systems were developed during the height of the New Deal era, with the first installation beginning in 1931. The advantages of HPFF pipe type cables—high overload capacity, minimal magnetic fields, compact trenching, and proven long-term reliability—solidified their position as the leading choice for urban bulk transmission, with more than 80% of U.S. underground high-voltage circuits still relying on these designs.
These systems are ideal where overhead lines are impractical due to space constraints, visibility concerns, or weather exposure. In highly populated urban areas such as New York, Boston, and Chicago, HPFF systems continue to play a critical role in energy distribution, even as they age well past their original intended service life of approximately 40 years.
Composite Solutions for Rehabilitating Pipe Type Cables
In crowded urban environments, HPFF pipe-type cable systems remain the preferred method for underground power distribution. However, this aging infrastructure now faces critical challenges: widespread corrosion of steel pipes and dependency on a single manufacturer that has recently begun signaling intent to exit the market.
Corrosion of steel pipes—the leading threat to pipe type cable systems—is primary caused by long-term exposure road runoff containing salt. Combined with coating degradation over time, these factors can cause integrity issues to quickly compound. Because inspection capabilities of these underground systems are limited, leaks and failures can go undetected until severe damage is done to the system. When failures inevitably occur, repairs can take weeks or months, causing extended outages. Operators work hard to avoid this outcome, as these pipe-type cable networks are vital for densely populated urban areas.
When weighing long-term solutions for aging pipe-type cable systems, utilities face three paths: wait for failures and repair reactively, strategically rehabilitate existing HPFF systems, or conduct full replacement of thousands of miles of critical pipe-type cable networks.
Reactive repairs result in costly emergency work, environmental cleanup, and prolonged outages. Furthermore, waiting for issues to arise almost guarantees that damages will be more extensive than utilizing a more proactive approach. Full replacement is often financially prohibitive given the volume of HPFF infrastructure still in service and the logistical hurdles that accompany urban excavation.
Strategic rehabilitation of existing infrastructure presents the most compelling benefits, emphasizing a proactive approach that remains cost-conscious. Carbon fiber composite reinforcement of aging pipe-type cables systems provides a compelling alternative to full system replacement.
Unlike steel, composites cannot corrode (even with intense exposure to salt runoff), require no hot work, and add minimal weight to existing pipe-type cable structures. They can be installed quickly over damaged sections of steel pipe and deliver decades of service life extension at a fraction of the cost of full replacement.
Unlike traditional welded repairs, which require extensive surface preparation and can interfere with the pipe’s cathodic protection, carbon fiber repairs can be applied directly over existing coatings. For utilities managing hundreds of miles of HPFF lines, composite repairs represent a practical, cost-effective strategy to extend asset life, reduce risk, and maintain reliability without the financial and logistical burden of complete replacement.
Case Study: New York City’s Multi-Year Underground Power Transmission Network Restoration
Since 2016, nearly 48,000 linear feet of pipe-type cables have been reinforced using Advanced FRP’s carbon fiber composite systems in New York City alone. This city-wide initiative provides essential reinforcement to NYC’s aging high-pressure, fluid-filled (HPFF) pipe-type cable systems. This system dates back more than 50 years, and it has become prone to frequent dielectric fluid leaks from external corrosion.
Nearly 10 years in, this ongoing repair project continues to provide critical support to the city’s aging HPFF infrastructure while delivering 50+ years of leak-free, maintenance-free service.
Systematic rehabilitation of pipe type cable networks with high-strength composite repair systems
The Importance of Expert Partnership
To ensure successful deployment, training and collaboration with qualified partners is essential. Advanced FRP Systems offers specialized training programs to equip facility operators, managers, and supervisors with the skills needed to implement these solutions effectively. For utilities and municipalities seeking to reinforce their aging pipe-type cable infrastructure, schedule a free consultation to learn how our experienced team can help meet your training and solution implementation needs.