Opinion
www.SanTanSun.com
June 1 – 14, 2013
35
Community Commentary
Are we willing to let our community turn into ‘Paradise Lost’? easement as their route. More miles to travel, yes, but, based on saving our paradise, our community, our property values, our economy and our health, we think a small price to pay.
by Jane Andersen, Ocotillo resident
Is the “proposed” SRP/PRC High Voltage Project making our community stronger, or is it tearing our community apart? Let’s think about what could possibly happen to our “paradise” if SRP got its way and encased us with 230kV high voltage wires, 150-foot poles and two 230kV substations. Not in my backyard (NIMBY) is not going to get us anywhere. SRP’s divide and conquer strategy won’t work with us. Let’s solve the problem, together.
Why can’t we negotiate with GRIC?
Let’s say that SRP can justify the load need for two “new” 230kV substations. Price Road Corridor may become the next Silicon Valley. Would Gila River Indian Community (GRIC) consider allowing SRP to build the two substations and the power lines on their land? SRP is not keen on this
Jane and Al Andersen. Submitted photo
idea, possibly because it would take some “time” and effort to put the proposal together, organize meetings with the various families, obtain the land easements/leases, work with the governor of GRIC, the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the environmental specialists to do the impact studies and to obtain the approvals needed. Yet, this may be something that would appeal to GRIC, because they are moving their community into multiple business ventures; seems like providing power, cheaply, to their community might not be a bad idea. Recently, SRP and GRIC collaborated and achieved a win/win on a water deal; maybe they could work on a power deal?
What about an alternate route for the power lines and poles?
So, what if we could get GRIC and SRP together? What if they would secure a deal that would move the two substations onto GRIC land, far enough away from Price Road, perhaps closer to Interstate 10 where SRP should already have an easement, and build the substations there? SRP could still connect the substations to Knox and Kyrene. But, what about connecting to Schrader? If the high voltage lines would follow Interstate 10 and loop down below Sun Lakes, still on GRIC land, the lines could come up to connect to Schrader using the railroad track
SRP says that Schrader’s substation is for our community. Schrader is being upgraded with a third 230kV transformer, and a single circuit 230kV line is going to connect Schrader to the proposed RS-28 substation. Schrader is already connected to Kyrene generating station via a 230kV line. Redundancy? Above-ground, high voltage transmission lines, 150-foot poles every 660 feet, approximately eight poles in a mile, all for our community? OK, I guess they don’t need Schrader to connect to Pinal County, to Abel substation and the huge amount of growth being planned to accommodate at least 400,000 new consumers.
Why the urgency with this project?
If we don’t have any additional power needs today, and this is coming from the companies on Price Road Corridor, why are we in such a hurry to destroy our paradise? Isn’t building two 230kV substations, within blocks of each other, going a little overboard? Why is SRP not advocating strongly to work with GRIC? Why are they pushing the project through on Intel land, and cutting through our community to connect to Schrader Substation? What’s the rush?
Why can’t SRP bury the wires?
PO Box 23 Chandler, AZ 85244-0023 telephone: 480-732-0250 fax: 480-883-8714
©2013 SanTan Sun News
For News Tips, Editorial Articles, Opinion or Classifieds, email is preferred. news email address: News@SanTanSun.com ads email address: Ads@SanTanSun.com website address: www.SanTanSun.com
EDITORIAL AND ADVERTISING: NOON WED., June 5, 2013 FOR THE June 15, 2013 ISSUE
35,000
Total Circulation 27,250+ Driveways Fifty square mile coverage area from Price/101 to Greenfield and from Frye to Hunt Highway.
Proud member of the
What’s missing?—leadership! When were our leaders made aware of the proposed SRP project for Price Road Corridor? I’m talking local, city, state, regional and, yes, our HOAs. Why didn’t they push back on SRP then? The City of Chandler published its “Next Twenty” agenda for Chandler in March 2007. We’ve heard that the PRC project has been on SRP’s strategic planning schedule for years, although the public didn’t see it until January 2013. Why? We have an opportunity and an obligation to keep our “paradise,” not lose it! We will be heard, with or without leadership from our elected and appointed officials. Can we keep trying to engage our leaders? Sure. But, don’t get discouraged if you feel like they should be going to bat for us and they aren’t. Can you vote them out of office next time around? Yes. Maybe next time we’ll all have a better sense of “who” is truly working for us, for our community, for the preservation of our “paradise” and for full transparency, honest, open and truthful communication—for everyone.
What’s at risk?
Let’s talk for a minute about the cost to bury 230kV wires. SRP thinks the cost is too expensive–11 times more than above ground–to bury the lines, and they don’t want to pay for it. What about a special revenue bond? Or, let’s see, with 1 million SRP customers, if it costs an additional $20 million to bury the wire along the shortest proposed route, that’s an additional $20-onetime charge added to each consumer’s bill. We even suggested that Intel help pay for the burying of the lines, if the power needs are really for them and their expansion. Burying the wire has so many additional benefits: saves property values, lowers health risks, attracts more businesses and residential consumers, is
Deadline
mailing address:
Where is our leadership?
Why does SRP need Schrader Substation?
Do we need the two substations?
We are learning that the “power” that will be distributed by the “new” RS-28 substation will be for future use for companies like Intel, CyrusOne, Continuum and Digital Realty Trust. Do they need the additional power now? We’ve asked; they don’t. The variety of companies that we’ve spoken with along the Price Road Corridor, including Wells Fargo, Isagenix, Orbital and PayPal, will not have huge power needs, as many of them are consulting firms, high-tech providers, innovation labs, call centers, etc. However, one of the companies did say that even though they have their own dedicated substation, the SRP power will be offered to them cheaper than what they could produce, so they’ll just use their substation as a “backup.” What about RS-27? What’s the purpose for that substation? Well, for starters, it will connect via a 230kV double-circuit above-ground transmission wire/poles to RS-28, and also to Knox Substation, and Kyrene Generating Station with an above-ground 230kV line. So, more wires, more power, more poles and probably more connections for “future needs.” What are the future, justified “load” needs? Who did you speak with for these numbers? Substations are very expensive to build. Did SRP speak to some very large power users that are considering PRC?
safer, affords peace of mind and it saves maintenance dollars.
1. Tax Dollars. If we don’t get the substations moved off of Price Road, the property that they will be built on will not be used for more high-paying jobs, for Intel expansion; they will only be seen as ugly, eyesore, chain-linked utility stations. Have you seen Knox? Is this the best use of Price Road Corridor land? I thought it was supposed to be the diamond of the Southeast Valley, the innovation hub of Chandler, the “Best Place to Live, Work and Play”—not the biggest mess! Yes, the surrounding property will also be impacted. Value— you do the math. This equates to loss of good jobs, tax dollars and alluring more great companies that may have wanted to move their entire campuses to Price Road Corridor, like eBay wanted to do. 2. Property Values. There are hundreds of studies done on the impact of high-voltage wires. Many factors come into play, including the type of line, height, proximity to the home, etc. Some studies claim a loss of value between 16% and 29%. Others go higher.
executive editor
Shanna Hogan editor
publisher
Christina Fuoco-Karasinski
publisher emeritus
Kristen Sherman
Steve T. Strickbine Laurie Fagen
account executives
Jane Meyer Debbie Jennings
website maintained by
Susan Kovacs, n-ergizing
news editor writers
Lynette Carrington Tracy House K.M. Lang Alison Stanton section editors
Teri Carnicelli Tracy House Sharon McCarson Steven Solomon
ad design
Christine Bryner, Studio 509 layout design
Tad Smith, The Design Idea contributors
Wendi Olson Kristen Boyd Robyn Kelly Carol Skocypek Renee Clancy Katie Perry Ximena Rodriguez