It could very well be the most famous, or perhaps infamous, electric transmission cable in the world. And on March 25, it was officially retired with one final and intentional cut.
The transmission cable that was attached to the 55-year-old Bonner Bridge across Oregon Inlet was put into service in 1995. On July 27, 2017, the cable garnered worldwide attention when it was accidentally cut by construction crews working on a replacement bridge. As a result both Hatteras and Ocracaoke islands were subject to a mandatory, non-resident evacuation. Cape Hatteras Electric Cooperative, which owns and maintains the transmission line, ultimately restored service by building an overhead connection.
With completion of the replacement bridge, which includes a new transmission cable, co-op crews made the final cut. They did so while the two islands operated on generator power. And thus, we bid adieu to the Bonner Bridge transmission cable.