What is a High Voltage Power Line?
A high voltage power line is key component in a system of electrical distribution. It is over these lines, typically operating at 110 kilovolts or higher, that electricity is carried from the power plant to communities for consumption. In overhead lines (the ones suspended from towers), these are uninsulated lines that are made of aluminium. Underground lines are insulated.
Why High Voltage?
Electrical distribution is done by means of alternating current because it is more efficient to transfer electricity over distance this way. The virtue of the system is that electric current is stepped up to a very high voltage for transmission to distant points, and then stepped back down for consumption by businesses and homes. This is done on both ends by transformers. Without high voltage transmission, electrical distribution would be much less efficient, and local power generators would be required.
Electromagnetic Fields
The uninsulated high voltage transmission lines used in overhead distribution create a strong magnetic field. It has been alleged that these magnetic fields can cause ailments ranging from cancer to depression, but these allegations have never been scientifically proven.
