AltaLink and AUC Ignore Public Concerns – Again

Arlene and Randy Hjertaas of Red Deer provide yet another example of AltaLink and the Alberta Utilities Commission (AUC) ignoring  residents’ concerns about overhead transmission lines (Red Deer Advocate).

They recently wrote, “It’s been smoke and mirrors from the start. AltaLink never had any intention to do anything other than what they wanted from the very beginning of the power line upgrade project through the Pines subdivision…Over 90 per cent of the affected residents were contacted and signed a petition supporting the alternate route with support unanimously endorsed by the City of Red Deer…AltaLink clearly dismissed this proposal, since during their portion of formal review by the Alberta Utilities Commission board they didn’t even mention the residents’ proposal of an alternate route”, that was less intrusive. “Without listening or caring about residents’ concerns, the AUC has approved the project”, as proposed by AltaLink.

This is an all-too-common theme of the public consultation and hearing process for construction of transmission lines in Alberta. Homeowner and landowner concerns about the negative impacts of overhead transmission lines on property values, the environment, safety, health and aesthetics are consistently ignored by AltaLink and the AUC. Many Albertans have characterized the entire power line consultation and hearing process as “theatre” – to give the public the perception that their concerns are listened to and taken into account, when in fact they are not.

~ by RETA on October 4, 2014.