La Conner Weekly News - Your independent hometown award-winning newspaper

One of the biggest expenses of new home construction in locations more than a few hundred yards away from existing energy infrastructure is the cost of connecting electricity and gas. Electric power distribution wires can cost up to a million dollars a mile for underground service and up to $100,000 a mile for above-ground. New gas lines use less expensive materials, but still require mobilization of construction equipment and installation labor.

Upstream of the vicinity of the new building(s), more infrastructure may be required. For instance, substations and transformers, used to convert...