Placement of new Q.C. power lines worries some

Queen Creek-area residents and government officials are keeping a close watch on developing plans for high-voltage power lines planned to run through their community.

Salt River Project is planning a 20-mile, 230-kilovolt transmission line that will likely cut through parts of Queen Creek and the surrounding area of unincorporated Pinal County to the south and east of town.

The $20 million Abel-Moody Project is planned to connect three substations in the Gilbert and Queen Creek areas and is expected to be in service by summer 2012. Before it can be built, the line will need approval from state agencies. SRP has said the line is needed to keep pace with current and future demand for electricity in the south East Valley.

The energy provider has been coordinating with Queen Creek officials since April on the placement of the new transmission line.

The alternative routes shown on a map released by SRP show nearly every major road in town as a possible route, with the exception of Ellsworth Road. A project newsletter from SRP says the open houses Aug. 25-27 will allow the utility to narrow the route alternatives using the public input already gathered.

The open houses will give residents the opportunity to provide feedback on the potential paths that could border their neighborhoods. Town leaders and residents have been concerned about the possible visual and economic impacts the line could have.

Queen Creek resident Maureen MacDonald said she has some concerns about the lines being placed near residential areas.

"Aesthetically it's not appealing and with the electromagnetic fields that could be damaging to people's health and putting them near residential would be bad for the community," she said. "I would keep them underground."

Queen Creek resident Greg Clark said the alternatives map shows many options, but he said that the town and SRP need to consider health and safety of the community a top priority.

"I think the best option is to run it alongside of the railroad, only because there's nothing really that goes there other than some industrial buildings," Clark said. "It keeps it away from residents as much as possible."

Placing the lines along the railroad tracks, which run along Rittenhouse Road through town, would have less impact on residential areas, schools and other sensitive areas of town, Clark said.

"I'd like to see it go right next to the railroad," he said. "It seems like it's a pretty straight shot."

Last month the Queen Creek Town Council approved guidelines for power lines in the community. The guidelines ask SRP to avoid the downtown Town Center and areas that would adversely affect views of the San Tan Mountains, "gateway" entrances to the town or areas with residential or commercial development or in areas that would conflict with current and proposed parks, utilities and schools. The Town Council recommended co-location with other power lines and placing the lines in undeveloped areas where alignment and design of the new lines will be known before development.

SRP spokesman Scott Harelson said information gathered at the August open houses will be used to further narrow route alternatives. He said there will be a third round of open houses in October.

"At that point we would hope to see three alternatives or perhaps more," he said. "Once you begin to put lines on paper, I anticipate we'll be getting more feedback."

For more information about the project, call (866) 537-7704 or visit www.azpower.org.

Open houses

Abel-Moody Project open houses:

Open house 1

When: 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Monday

Where: Copper Basin K-8 School, 28682 E. Main St.

Open house 2

When: 5 p.m. to p.m. Tuesday

Where: Queen Creek Middle School, 20435 S. Ellsworth Road

Open house 3

When: 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday

Where: Payne Junior High School, 7655 S. Higley Road