Power Lines

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Quick Takeaways

The United States electric grid consists of both under and above ground power lines, though it is actually 3 separate grids in practice: Eastern, Western, and Texas.
Climate change is one of if not the top concern when it comes to the power lines in the United States – extreme weather events in recent years have shown how vulnerable our system is to ice storms, hurricanes, flooding, and fires
Burying powerlines, installing fire resistant poles, and implementing more renewable energy sources are all on the horizon as solutions to power line vulnerabilities

Source: How Does the U.S. Power Grid Work? (Council on Foreign Relations)

Though they provide a basic necessity for modern living, power lines are not always welcome in neighborhoods. Aside from the lack of visual appeal, many are worried about the high level of electricity surging so close to their homes, specifically EMF (Electric & Magnetic Fields) exposure. Radiation is one the highest levels of EMF frequencies, while power lines fall somewhere lower than a computer, and much lower than a cell phone or wireless internet.

For the reasons mentioned above, there are concerns that living too close to large power lines may reduce the property value of your home. Data is somewhat hard to come by because the issue is very much a personal preference. Often, homes where the power lines would be enough of a visual nuisance to cause a problem have a pristine ocean/mountain/lake view.

The rise of extreme weather events in the last decade has catapulted power lines into the world of many homeowners, especially after forest fires, unusual deep freezes, and unprecedented flooding have wreaked havoc on the power grid like never before. Burying power is already underway, and will most likely increase in the future.

See References for more information.

References

NAR Library & Archives has already done the research for you. References (formerly Field Guides) offer links to articles, eBooks, websites, statistics, and more to provide a comprehensive overview of perspectives. EBSCO articles (E) are available only to NAR members and require the member's nar.realtor login.

Electric and Magnetic Fields Explained

Electric and Magnetic Fields from Power Lines (United States Environmental Protection Agency, Jul. 24, 2024)

“Electric and magnetic fields, also known as electromagnetic fields (EMF), consist of waves of electric and magnetic energy moving together. These energy fields surround us all the time. Scientific studies have not clearly shown whether exposure to EMF increases cancer risk. A few studies have connected EMF and health effects, but they have not been able to be repeated. This means that they are inconclusive. Scientists continue to conduct research on the issue.”

Electric & Magnetic Fields (The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Mar. 20, 2024)

What if I live near a power line?
It is important to remember that the strength of a magnetic field decreases dramatically with increasing distance from the source. This means that the strength of the field reaching a house or structure will be significantly weaker than it was at its point of origin.

Electromagnetic Fields and Cancer (National Cancer Institute, May 30, 2022)

“Although a study in 1979 pointed to a possible association between living near electric power lines and childhood leukemia (15), more recent studies have had mixed findings (16–24). Most of these studies did not find an association or found one only for those children who lived in homes with very high levels of magnetic fields, which are present in few residences.”

Power Lines and Property Values

How Can the Biden Administration Overcome Local Opposition to Renewable Electricity Transmission Lines? (Medium, May 26, 2024)

In the case of CREZ, my paper shows that properties within half a kilometer fell by ten percent on average (about $12,000 for the typical affected property). Adding up these losses across all affected properties in Texas amounts to $223 million in uncompensated losses. While this might seem like a lot (and it is for the communities that are affected) it is less than four percent of the $6.9 billion it cost to construct CREZ.

Wealthy Newport Beach Splurges $26 Million to Hide Power Lines (Bloomberg, Jul. 10, 2023)

“Newport Beach, California is investing millions of dollars to remove unsightly power lines in an effort to boost its already sky-high property values. The city tapped the municipal market for roughly $26 million this week to bury the lines in two sections of the beach-side town, which will “enhance neighborhood aesthetics, safety, and reliability” according to bond documents.”

Power Lines and Property Value: What You Need to Know (Orchard, Dec. 14, 2022)

Most homebuyers do not find power lines aesthetically pleasing, especially if they are in a location that would otherwise have a pristine ocean, river, or forest view. While this personal preference does tend to lower property values, another major factor in the power line debate concerns health. Concerns over EMFs (Electro Magnetic Frequencies or Electric and Magnetic Fields) have not been proven by the WHO or EPA, and are immeasurable once you are more than 500 feet away.

Impact of High Voltage Transmission Lines on Property Values (JD Supra, Jul. 29, 2022)

Against this backdrop, an interesting article was published in The Appraisal Journal in 2019, the prestigious publication of the Appraisal Institute, entitled “High-Voltage Transmission Lines and Residential Property Values in New England: What has Been Learned.” Author Dr. James A. Chalmers reviewed 12 studies targeting thousands of Massachusetts, Connecticut and New Hampshire residential properties. He concluded that only a very small number of parcels were adversely affected, usually when they were in close proximity to and had an unobstructed view of the lines. The overwhelming majority of the properties studied produced a “uniform result of no statistically significant proximity, visibility, or encumbrance effects,” Dr. Chalmers reported.

Power Lines and Natural Disasters

The Link Between Power Lines and Wildfires (Western Fire Chiefs Association, Jun. 25, 2024)

Power lines can ignite wildfires in several ways, all of which can be prevented through proper mitigation tactics. Here are the most common ways wildfires are sparked from power lines:

Downed Lines: Power lines can fall for many reasons. Whether it’s caused by a falling tree or strong winds, it remains energized until the utility company shuts it off. In hot and dry climates, the surrounding vegetation that the line comes in contact with can spark a fire.

Vegetation Contact: As already mentioned, dry vegetation on the ground that comes in contact with an energized downed power line can spark a fire, but this can also occur with intact power lines. When a tree becomes overgrown and its branches expand and reach the power lines, a fire can ignite. A tree branch lying between two conductors can also produce high-temperature electrical arcs.

Power Lines Ignited the Largest Wildfire in Texas History and One Nearby, Officials Say (AP News, Mar. 7, 2024)

The Texas A&M Forest Service said its investigators concluded that power lines ignited both the historic Smokehouse Creek fire, which has burned nearly 1,700 square miles (4,400 square kilometers) and spilled into neighboring Oklahoma, and the nearby Windy Deuce fire, which has burned about 225 square miles (582 square kilometers). The statement did not elaborate on what led to the power lines igniting the blazes.

Utility provider Xcel Energy said its equipment appeared to have sparked the Smokehouse Creek fire. The Minnesota-based company said in the news release that it did not believe its equipment caused the ignition of the Windy Deuce fire, nor was it aware of any allegations that it had. A company spokesman said in an email that there are power lines owned and operated by various companies in that area.

Colorado is Latest State to Try Turning Off the Electrical Grid to Prevent Wildfires − a Complex, Technical Operation Pioneered in California (The Conversation, Apr. 12, 2024)

Power lines don’t have the capacity to store electricity for use later – it has to be used immediately. This makes the grid different from other critical infrastructure. Water networks can hold water in their pipes, and roadways can support cars at a standstill if traffic can’t flow.
Because the grid can’t store electricity, de-energizing and re-energizing have to happen in stages to ensure that changes in the demand side of the power grid are not too rapid for the supply side to adapt to. Power plants can’t turn on instantaneously: Some can start up within minutes, while others take hours, depending on their age, design and the type of fuel they use. And they generally can’t raise their output from 10% of their generating capacity to 90% with the flick of a switch.

Huge Texas Blaze Shows Power-Line Fires Are a Widespread Threat (Bloomberg.com, Mar. 8, 2024) E

"A lot of the focus had been in California for the last decade, but you are seeing more wildfire incidents impact other utilities, and that's going to put more pressure on the industry overall to address wildfire risk," said Travis Miller, a utility analyst for Morningstar Inc. "The recent wildfires have raised some questions about whether utilities are investing enough to maintain a reliable and safe system," Miller said.

Hawaiian Electric Lawsuit Is More Evidence That Electric Grids Across the U.S. Need Updating (TIME, Aug. 18, 2023)

No official cause has determined for the Lahaina wildfires, but the lawsuit filed in the days after the fire alleges that, despite warnings of increased fire dangers from the National Weather Service, Hawaiian Electric, which serves 95% of the island state’s 1.4 million residents, did not institute a “public power shutoff plan”—in which power is pre-emptively shut off in cases of high fire risk— and continued to supply power to its electric lines. Wind gusts in Maui knocked down an estimated 30 power lines, many of which were still energized when they hit the ground.

The suit claims that the company knew of the wildfire risks in Maui, citing a 2022 funding request for $189.7 million from the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission, in which the company said that “the risk of a utility system causing a wildfire ignition is significant,” and that the electric infrastructure was not strong enough to withstand high winds.

eBooks & Other Resources

Books, Videos, Research Reports & More

As a member benefit, the following resources and more are available for loan through the NAR Library. Items will be mailed directly to you or made available for pickup at the REALTOR® Building in Chicago.

Death and Disclosure: Legal Strategies for Dealing with Stigmatized Properties (Richfield, OH: October Research Corporation, 2007) HD 1341 R22d

Cell Towers: Wireless Convenience? Or Environmental Hazard? (Markham, Ont.: Safe Goods/New Century Publishing, 2001) HE 9713 B45

Cartographies of Danger: Mapping Hazards in America (Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press, 1997) GB 5014 M66

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