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The Gazette's Oct. 23 article, "Allegheny Energy revises power-line plans for Frederick County," when talking about one alternative technology that was presented at our town hall Meeting, failed to mention that the primary focus of the meeting was centered on the use of High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC).
Our members discovered this technology in research over the two months since we learned about the PATH project. At our meeting, we presented the many advantages of this technology over the proposed technology Allegheny and AEP plan to use for PATH.
The advantages include: substantially increased reliability, reducing congestion, increasing the power flow potential across the line, minimizing the environmental impacts and the reduction or elimination of potential health concerns due to electro-magnetic fields.
Most importantly, this cable can easily be buried, minimizing the footprint, reducing the risk of damage from natural causes and providing protection against terrorism. The only disadvantage to this technology is that it is initially more costly if buried.
However, simulation studies have been done that show that in the long run the power companies could more than double their profits with HVDC.
HVDC cable can be easily buried and should be considered as an alternative. This type of line could be buried along railroad tracks, roads or existing power line rights of way, thus eliminating or minimizing the need to take personal property by eminent domain.
The cost of burying this type of cable could only be determined after studying the route to be taken. Cost considerations include the terrain of the land and the cost of procuring the rights of way. Any additional costs are more than compensated by the fact that there is substantially less loss on the line with the direct current technology and thus, HVDC would generate more profit every year for Allegheny.
One would naturally ask why they would not use this technology if they could make more profit. Members of Allegheny's staff admitted to our group that they did not even look at this technology. They have always used HVAC and never considered any alternatives. HVDC is being used around the world and will be used for a transmission line, just approved, called MAPP, which will include laying a cable under the Chesapeake Bay.
Sugarloaf Conservancy is not against supplying additional electricity to our community, state, and neighboring states (only 14 percent of the electricity will be consumed in Maryland).
Doug Kaplan, Urbana
The writer is president of the Sugarloaf Conservancy.
The decision by the Frederick Board of County Commissioners to study alternatives to the proposed incinerator is good. Whatever the ultimate decision on the incinerator, a complete evaluation of alternatives is the only way to assure we are getting the best solution feasible.
If only this foresight would be applied to another important project proposed for Frederick County — the PATH transmission line project. This enormous, suspended high-wire line poses significant damage to the region's environment and lacks a study of alternatives.
PATH's primary purpose is the bulk transmission of electricity from coal-fired plants in West Virginia to New Jersey and New York.
Allegheny and AEP claim that 14 percent of the energy will also benefit Maryland. They have not stated how much, if any, will serve Frederick County.
However, Frederick County residents will suffer 100 percent of the damages to their property values and to the environment.
We will also pay for the construction costs of the project through increased charges in our Allegheny Power electric bills.
Allegheny has recently announced it wants to construct a 765-kilovolt High Voltage Alternating Current (HVAC) suspended "high-line" from Amos, W.Va., to Kemptown, Md., routed through southern Frederick County.
The giant towers necessary to suspend such a line would be far larger than any found elsewhere in our county — or the region.
PATH's news release states their plan reflects "a desire to identify a solution that reduces line mileage and minimizes the impact on communities and the environment."
In fact, this 765-kilovolt suspended high-line would multiply and concentrate damages to the environment and our long-established rural and residential communities.
AEP and Allegheny have ignored residents' requests to consider High-Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) technology that is in commonplace use elsewhere throughout the United States and the world. HVDC is ideal and highly efficient for this sort of long distance transmission of electricity. What's more, HVDC can be readily buried and thus would minimize the damages to Frederick County.
It is time that our county commissioners begin to defend Frederick County and its residents from this poorly planned project.
Ron Roos, Urbana