For years Westlock-area residents have been hearing about the often-controversial discussions about high-voltage power lines being built around Alberta, but have watched those stories unfold from a distance.
Of course, considering the significant portion of everyone’s monthly power bills earmarked for transmission costs, we’ve all been indirectly affected by these decisions as well.
But now, with a proposed 500-kV transmission line possible coming through either Westlock or Barrhead county, many residents are asking themselves what it’s all going to mean.
As with any controversial development there are two sides to the story.
Proponents will talk about how the need for the infrastructure, the ways they’re mitigating environmental and social effects, how it’s being done economically, how landowners will be consulted and compensated and how the health effects of these projects are non-existent.
Likewise, opponents will talk about how the infrastructure isn’t really needed and is a ploy by big business to make more profits; or how the environmental, social and health effects are catastrophic and insurmountable; or how landowners will be left holding the bag long after the companies involved have cashed in their chips.
In the news industry it’s almost invariable true that when there are two radically opposing viewpoints providing radically opposing information and analysis, the truth lies somewhere in the middle. Undoubtedly that’s the case with respect to high-voltage transmission lines as well.
Building these lines has been a long-standing, major provincial issue for many years now and it’s incumbent on each one of us to do as much research for ourselves, and ask questions about how this will impact us — positively or negatively.
And, like all citizens of a democratic society, we should take the informed opinions we develop and share them with the people who are making those big decisions — here’s hoping hundreds will come out to the Alberta PowerLine open houses this week, regardless how they feel about the project.
