Hunua residents use light to make point over pylons

Fluorescent tubes lit by the existing electro-magnetic field under the power pylon wires at Hunua were used last night to demonstrate the health dangers allegedly involved. Picture / Dean Purcell

Light became a medium of protest last night when angry residents of Hunua and Paparimu, south of Auckland, used fluorescent bulbs to show their opposition to a Transpower plan that could see 70m pylons running through their communities.

The bulbs the residents waved were lit by the electric field of existing pylons, which they say already emit an electromagnetic field that is harmful to their health but which poses only a fraction of the danger that the Transpower pylons would.

The power transmission company's pylons would carry 400kV of electricity as opposed to the 110kV in the existing pylons.

Transpower is deciding which of two routes from Whakamaru to Otahuhu to use for its pylons, which the company says are needed to ensure Auckland does not run out of power by 2010.

It hopes to decide on the route by the end of the year after taking public submissions in June.

A report to the Government last year on the health effects of electromagnetic fields found a weak link between prolonged exposure to relatively strong magnetic fields and childhood leukemia.

There was considerable doubt over whether this indicated a cause-and-effect relationship.

Professor Pat Bodger, head of electrical and computer engineering at Canterbury University, said that if a fluorescent tube was placed under transmission lines the electric field from the lines might create enough voltage to light it.

The light protest came at the end of a public meeting in Hunua Hall that was organised by Halt - Homeowners Against Line Trespassers - and attended by several hundred residents.

Transpower executives fielded their questions.

Environment and property group manager Allan Bradshaw said the company understood the issue was a difficult one but Auckland needed more power.

"We recognise there's a lot of passion out there but there's a 2010 deadline."

Mr Bradshaw said Transpower wanted to hear the concerns of the 1400 people living along the two proposed routes.

"We're happy to talk to them."

The company was also examining the possibility of using shorter 35m-40m high voltage DC (HVDC) pylons.

Hart was pleased that Transpower was studying the HVDC pylons but reiterated that members would never agree to 400kV pylons.

"The community has said categorically, 'No 400kV lines'," said chairman Steve Hunt.

Nor would they accept a fifth transmission line as well as the four already running through the area.

Residents were sceptical last night that Transpower was listening to their concerns.

"It just doesn't wash with us," said Jason Hinton, who owns 22ha at Hunua.

Mr Hinton, who bought his property eight years ago, said one of the proposed routes would put at least two of the pylons on his land.

If the pylons went in, he would not be able to subdivide.

"I've been paying a mortgage on a property that is now worth half."

He and his partner, Catherine Gooch, wanted to have children, but they did not want them exposed to the electricity.

"We're going to have to sell."

Wayne Smith, whose 0.8ha property is slated for one pylon in one proposed route, said his land was worthless if the pylon was installed because of the space it would fill.

"You can't sell it," he said.

His property already had a 110kV pylon but he was concerned about his three children, aged 9, 6 and 3, being exposed to more electricity.

"It [a 400kV pylon] is a hell of a lot bigger and there's a hell of a lot more magnetic field around it," he said.

Mr Smith, an electrician, said he would not have bought the land last April if he had known it was on the route.

NZ First MP Brent Catchpole, who has attended several meetings on the issue, said Transpower was not listening to people's concerns.

"There's a human value and no one wants to talk about it."