Engineers claim burying cables is £20mn/km more expensive

The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) published a report on Tuesday 31 January outlining the costs of burying transmission cables. The report claimed burying cables to avoid power lines crossing the landscape could cost up to £20mn more per kilometre than using overhead cables once additional construction and maintenance charges are taken into account.
In response energy minister Charles Hendry noted the public's concerns regarding the impact that new overhead transmission lines can have on the landscape. But he reiterated that over the coming years major transmission reinforcements will be needed to connect new power stations to the electricity grid, and it was "essential" these reinforcements are taken forward on the basis of the best available evidence. Hendry said: "The costs of individual proposals will differ on a case by case basis, the IET report is a vital contribution".
IET     DECC