Too much complaining about PPL power line plans

In light of the media-driven frenzy over PPL's power line route, people complaining about ruining vistas and habitat destruction should be quiet.

[Whatever]

These lines are to go through people's property directly by their homes, thus lowering their peoperty value in the long run. You are right we all use electric but you are not the one having it go right through your property nexttoyour home!

[dropthelines]

The unfortunate thing is that if you look anywhere in PA, you see tons of power lines. We are becoming an exporter of energy due to our willingness to put coal fire plants in central PA.
PA doesn't need this power though. If we were the ones overloading the grid, the power lines would run from Roseland to Berwick, not the other way around. I guess it's a good thing we're building coal fire plants here, at least that business will stay. Others certainly won't.
How is it that people live in North Dakota on oil rich land can't just have the government step in and take their land? Isn't that in the 'national interest'. Seems last time I checked, oil was a lot more valuable than electricity.
I especially feel sorry for Steven. I wonder how close he is to the 500kV line around I78? It's only going to get worse from here. If they don't go with Option C, and end up connecting Ohio to New Jersey through PA, those 500kV lines south of I78 will be expanded greatly.
Email me when they knock on your door to take your house so I can see you explain to your children why you have to move and how their college education is at risk because of the home equity you're going to lose.
This isn't about 'my backyard', this is about my family, my home, and my future. If that's not worth fighting for, I don't know what is.
http://www.dropthelines.com

[Frank]

The reality is that there will be more power lines built in order to take advantage of Green energy. The reason for this is that most of these sources are not consistent, and thus power must be transferred from whichever area is producing at that particular moment. Wind turbines are a prime example of this problem. The wind is always blowing somewhere, it is a matter of transporting the energy to the users at that particular moment.

[thinkaboutit]

This is year 2008!...Why can't PPL install the updated power load undergound???

Is this an option?

[Satire]

Why not accomplish something good by stringing these lines. Run them closer together and use like a bug zapper. Perhaps then people will enjoy a bug free property and favor there usage.

Maybe you could put some tin foil around your BBQ and enjoy the capacitive effects to cook on your outdoor grill.

THINK PEOPLE THINK!

[whyknot]

I see Steven is from Emmaus. Wonder what tune he'd be tooting if the power lines were going in his back yard?

[whyknot]

Satire wrote:

Why not accomplish something good by stringing these lines. Run them closer together and use like a bug zapper. Perhaps then people will enjoy a bug free property and favor there usage.
Maybe you could put some tin foil around your BBQ and enjoy the capacitive effects to cook on your outdoor grill.
THINK PEOPLE THINK!

This is the type of thinking that has us in the environmental mess we are in now. Every species on this planet for a reason... and that includes bugs.

[Q-town resident]

thinkaboutit wrote:

This is year 2008!...Why can't PPL install the updated power load undergound???
Is this an option?

I think that it has something to do with losing too much power and needing extra transformers if its placed underground. Plus its far more expensive to excavate and moisture from the water table deteriorates the cable insulation faster especially near creek crossings.

It can probably be done but PPL never does this for transmission lines.

[Satire]

Q-town resident wrote:

<quoted text>
I think that it has something to do with losing too much power and needing extra transformers if its placed underground. Plus its far more expensive to excavate and moisture from the water table deteriorates the cable insulation faster especially near creek crossings.
It can probably be done but PPL never does this for transmission lines.

Cannot run underground. The ground shielding would create capacitive effects leading to impedance (resistance) and further, cause voltage to lag current. Therefore this effect would knock it out of phase a great deal over long runs. As you said this would lead to very large coils (transformers) to bring back the correct phase of voltage & current causing further loses.

Air has a very large insulative nature which doesn't have a very large a capacitive impedance comparatively.

If insulation broke down electrifying the nearby ground, it too would be a disaster.

There is special equipment in large plants that attempt to keep current phasing correct throughout a manufacturing plant to keep electric at peak efficiency. There are some designed for the home too. The makers of these units exaggerate their claims. It's questionable with the relatively small inductive motors used in a homes that this actually is practical.