The Challenge
In December 2016, Ireland's national independent planning body, known as An Bord Pleanála, or ABP, was considering a 100-kilometer, 400-kilovolt transmission line in Northern Ireland. The North-South Interconnector, one of Ireland's largest and most critical infrastructure projects, would improve energy security and efficiency while reducing operational costs.
From the outset of planning in 2009, landowners voiced concerns that electromagnetic fields (EMFs) might harm humans, crops, livestock, and fish. EMFs are invisible and ubiquitous in modern society (e.g., earth's magnetic field, power lines, radio/television transmissions, and even visible light). All devices connected to the electric power systems including power lines create extremely low frequency (ELF) EMFs, which are non-ionizing and generally harmless to humans. Higher frequency EMFs, such as x-rays and gamma rays, are ionizing, with the potential for cellular and DNA damage.
These landowners wanted to know what types and strength of EMFs would be generated and exactly how the proposed transmission lines would affect local communities.
EXPONENT's Multidisciplinary Solution
A multidisciplinary team of Exponent scientists and engineers modeled the EMFs and noise of the proposed power line in operation and presented their findings to ABP.
William Bailey, Ph.D., a principal scientist in Exponent's Health Sciences practice, served as a technical resource to EirGrid, the state-owned utility grid operator. In this role, Dr. Bailey was responsible for keeping the government informed about current research on electromagnetic fields.
As part of this work, Benjamin Cotts, Ph.D., P.E., a principal engineer in Exponent's Electrical Engineering & Computer Science practice, modeled the EMFs and noise associated with the existing transmission lines and the proposed line on the project route, including optimized phasing. Contribution from Drs. Bailey and Cotts were incorporated into the planning application.
Exponent's Impact
At an ABP hearing, Dr. Bailey and his colleague Gabor Mezei, M.D., Ph.D., another principal scientist in Exponent's Health Sciences practice, addressed questions from ABP and landowners.
The senior ABP inspector evaluated the issues raised by intervenors relating to EMF, health, and the environment in 25+ pages of her report, which concluded, "Current evidence does not confirm the existence of any health consequence from exposure to ELF EMF. Similarly, there is no evidence that proximity to high voltage power lines [has an effect] on crop production or quality."
Exponent's conclusions aligned with a previous report published by the Netherland's National Institute for Public Health and Environment, which focused on the potential effects that arise from exposure to EMF from high-voltage power lines, and with the findings of a scientific committee of the European Commission.
