AUGUSTA – Lewiston and Auburn residents spoke Thursday at the State House in support of a bill that would require high-voltage transmission lines built near areas frequently used by children to be placed underground.

The proposal, sponsored by Rep. Linda Valentino, D-Saco, would grant the Maine Public Utilities Commission the ability to exempt lines in areas that would be “technologically infeasible” to run underground.

Locals said they support the bill based on concerns they have regarding the Central Maine Power Co. proposal pending before the PUC to upgrade power lines statewide.

“It’s very scary, very stressful,” said Jean Elie of Lewiston, whose property abuts CMP’s proposed upgrade route. “I’m concerned about the health effects and noise and the obvious negative effect on property values.”

Rep. Peggy Rotundo, D-Lewiston, acknowledging controversy over the potential health risks associated with living near high-voltage lines, also spoke in support of the measure.

“We have a responsibility to protect the health and well-being of people in Maine,” she said. “I wonder why we as a state aren’t practicing prudent avoidance and in the presence of contradictory evidence erring on the side of putting measures in place to protect our citizens’ safety.”

Opponents said the cost of burying the lines outweighs the potential benefit, though there was conflicting testimony about just how much more expensive it would be.

“I can tell you that putting a high-voltage transmission line underground costs 10 to 14 times more than putting the same line overhead,” said David Allen, representing CMP.

But a representative of the PUC said it would cost much less than that. “As a general rule, above-ground transmission lines tend to cost in the range of $1 million per mile, while underground lines generally cost four to six times that,” said Paulina McCarter Collins of the PUC.

Collins said Maine ratepayers would be forced to pay for the higher costs because it would not be shared over ISO New England.

Members of the Utilities and Energy Committee asked Allen of CMP and the PUC’s Collins to go back and check their numbers before the work session for the bill, which is scheduled for Thursday, May 7.

Sen. Margaret Craven, D-Lewiston, who did not speak at the hearing though she supports the measure, said it would be a step in the right direction, but more needs to be done. “We need to take a bigger, broader look at how to create infrastructure for carrying electricity,” she said.

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