Background

The AWSPAG formed earlier this year following the attempt by Powercor to construct new high voltage powerlines through our neighbourhood. Permission to install the power poles was given by Brimbank City Council in March 2010.
 Powercor/CitiPower entity, returned a $AU69.5 million profit last year and their parent company  Spark Infrastructure reporting an increase in total underlying income of 14.5% to $266.0 million.
This work will enable them to access a new customer base with renewable income and yet they say the cost of undergrounding this line is prohibitive and they will not do it.  The extra cost of undergrounding high voltage power lines is far less important than safeguarding the health of our children
Our community believes the lines should be placed underground for the following reasons:
• Epidemiological studies indicate that there is an association between EMF exposures of >0.4uT and childhood leukaemia. The economic cost of childhood leukaemia is estimated to be $1.5M per case (AIHW).
• According to the National Grid (UK) typical ground level field levels from a 66kV line range from 0.5-2 uT
• Ridgeway Pde kindergarten is 10m away from the base of these poles
• The poles are unsightly and obtrusive; residents now have 2 sets of power poles in their street
• Residents have lost trees which Ardeer can ill afford
• The new poles are 15m high while the houses are only 10m away and residents believe this is an unacceptable risk