October 2007

ENMAX Power Corporation recently rebuilt selected areas of the electric system in your community. Parts of the existing system will be rebuilt in order to provide higher levels of reliability and the capacity to meet the growing electrical demands of the community. ENMAX is mandated by the Electric Utility Act (EUA) to maintain a safe and reliable electric system, and this rebuild is part of that mandate.
The rebuilt line runs along Centre Street, north from 16th Avenue and is the same level of voltage as the old line. Part of the need for this rebuild was that the existing structures providing stability for the line needed to be reinforced. With that and new construction standards in mind, different structures were required to ensure the line remained stable and safe.

In addition, the new structures facilitated the removal of many of the older poles and guy wires – the wires that run from the pole to the ground.

We understand that some residents may be concerned and, as always, customer service is a priority for us. That’s why we endeavor to work with residents to mitigate the impact of this rebuild and be as flexible as we can while staying within the parameters of our terms and conditions and the mandate to maintain the electrical system in a cost efficient manner.

We have been working closely with some residents discussing several options for mitigating the impact of the pole on the community and we will continue to work with them to address their concerns.

We believe completion of the project will improve the capacity and reliability of your electric service as well as address future planning issues within this area.
If you are looking for more information, or would like to have an ENMAX representative meet with you in person to discuss this issue, please call 514-1563.

Questions &Answers

Why is ENMAX performing this rebuild?
Some of the reasons for performing the work are as follows:

• To ensure continued system reliability and safety.
• To replace aging infrastructure.
• To accommodate growth in established communities.

Is it a higher voltage line?
No. The voltage of the transmission line is the same as it was before the rebuild.

It looks bigger – what if I have health concerns?
While ENMAX understands some individuals may have concerns regarding electric and magnetic fields (EMF), scientific evidence to date has not established adverse health effects resulting from exposure to power-frequency EMF at levels normally encountered in homes, schools and offices.

However, we continue to monitor the issue through our work with the Canadian Electrical Association's (CEA) EMF task group, and recognize no single study will resolve this issue. We commit to staying informed about EMF and offering information and in-home measurements to our customers so they can make their own informed decisions regarding this issue.

If you are interested in having ENMAX perform an in-home measurement for you, please call 514-1563 and we would be happy set up a time that is convenient for you or provide more information on this subject.

Couldn’t you bury the powerlines?
ENMAX Power is regulated by the Alberta Utilites Commission (AUC). The AUC approves our tariffs and also the terms and conditions under which we operate. Under Section 18.5.2 of the Distribution Tariff Terms and Conditions, all costs associated with burying the overhead line – including a transmission line - would have to be borne by the customers requesting the line be buried because it is deemed an optional upgrade.

So, can someone pay to bury these powerlines?
It is possible. Any costs associated with burying the overhead transmission line would have to be borne by the customers requesting the line be buried – and all of the affected residents would have to agree to the line being buried and to pay for all associated costs. Some of those costs include:

•  Undergrounding other utilities involved (SHAW and TELUS)
•  All engineering and construction costs

How much does it cost?
We can’t speak to your specific case here, but in similar situations in our past experience, the cost of burying a transmission line can range from $1.5 million dollars to $2 million dollars per kilometer.

Why can’t they go somewhere else?
A route change would have proven very difficult, as the existing line has been in place for many years and the community is well established.

What was the EUB’s role in this project?
This transmission line rebuild was deemed to be a like-for-like replacement by the regulatory authorities and so was approached that way by ENMAX. Generally, in situations where it is deemed a like-for-like replacement, public involvement is not a regulatory requirement of the rebuild process.

Why wasn’t the community consulted?
In situations where public involvement is not a regulatory requirement, there is no one trigger point for the public engagement process - we approach issues on a project-by-project basis and, thanks to some residents bringing this to our attention, this part of the process will be reviewed and revised as necessary.
 
If you would like an ENMAX representative to contact you about this issue, e-mail us or call 514-1563.