I don’t know if we need more power lines or not as the information released by all parties is always vague and slanted in their favour and not really a lie and not really honest. Some good bottom-line truth would be greatly appreciated, not only in this matter but for all situations.
I have been an electrician since 1959 and the purpose of this letter is to challenge Premier Ed Stelmach’s comment that the existing high-voltage electrical lines are “leaking electricity.” It’s possible that my education in electricity is obsolete.
What a statement. These lines have been leaking electricity since they were put into service. It’s the nature of the product.
I ask Stelmach to publicly explain the comment of lines “leaking electricity” and the few other questions below.
• Have the aluminum conductors on the existing lines played out or changed their molecular structure so they can’t carry the power efficiently?
• Are these existing lines overloaded due to demand increase, which could make them leak more electricity?
• Are the insulators holding the line up inadequate?
• Are the existing structures too weak to install a parallel line on them?
• Are the new proposed lines required for export and that someone could use paperwork to conceal the true purpose for the new lines?
I will be very interested in the answers, especially to the comment that the existing lines “leak electricity.”
I checked on the Internet to see how far high voltage power lines had to be away from residential and the reply came back very vague and as a “general rule.”
The general rule was from 100 metres to 500 metres away, depending on circumstances. The article also gave the reasons. I won’t mention the reasons in this letter as I would like to see what our Alberta government has to say about this.
This whole situation makes me wonder if this government is smarter than a fifth grader?
Tom Skoreyko
Red Deer