What is PATH?
A joint venture of Allegheny Energy and American Electric Power to build a new interstate high-voltage transmission line called the Potomac Appalachian Transmission Highline or PATH.
PATH is a single 765 kilo-volt transmission line from St. Albans, WV to Kemptown, MD. Tower heights will average 180 feet (although we have seen plans for a tower on the mountain at the west side of the Appalachian Trail engineered at 209 feet!) and right-of-ways will be 200 feet wide. Some proposed routes follow existing power line right-of-ways, some are creating new right-of-ways in areas that do not currently have power lines, and some are proposing a second or third right-of-way running parallel to existing power lines. These will be very large transmission lines, completely dwarfing most of the ones we currently have in our area. The current 500kV towers in Jefferson County average 100-feet, and the 138kV towers average 75-feet tall. PATH is intended to transport electricity from coal-fired power plants in the Ohio Valley to the Eastern seaboard metropolises. There will be no local benefit.
PATH has filed for approval of their selected routes with the West Virginia Public Service Commission on May 15, 2009. The approval process began again on July 8, 2010 with the applicant's filing of new testimony. The case is active again after a 7-month delay. A decision on the permit is expected on May 16, 2011.
The transmission lines will run through 14 counties in West Virginia, including Jefferson. PATH will also cross 3 counties in Virginia and one in Maryland. At this time, PATH’s proposed route would run through or nearby numerous subdivisions, farms, parks, businesses, schools and historic sites. Properties in the way of proposed routes will be purchased by PATH and either demolished or resold.
The project’s recently raised estimated cost of now $2.1 billion has a return on equity to Allegheny Energy and American Electric Power of 14.3% guaranteed by FERC. Cost to construct these lines will be borne by electric customers in the thirteen-state PJM region, which includes West Virginia, Virginia and Maryland. With construction costs coming out of consumers’ pockets (including yours), the electric companies can’t lose and will make a huge profit selling cheap, coal-fired electricity to eastern cities.
How will this affect you?
Environmental Effects:
Noise and disturbance during construction of PATH.
Electrical interference with appliances near the line.
To view a map of PATH's proposed route through Jefferson County, click here.
PATH is a single 765 kilo-volt transmission line from St. Albans, WV to Kemptown, MD. Tower heights will average 180 feet (although we have seen plans for a tower on the mountain at the west side of the Appalachian Trail engineered at 209 feet!) and right-of-ways will be 200 feet wide. Some proposed routes follow existing power line right-of-ways, some are creating new right-of-ways in areas that do not currently have power lines, and some are proposing a second or third right-of-way running parallel to existing power lines. These will be very large transmission lines, completely dwarfing most of the ones we currently have in our area. The current 500kV towers in Jefferson County average 100-feet, and the 138kV towers average 75-feet tall. PATH is intended to transport electricity from coal-fired power plants in the Ohio Valley to the Eastern seaboard metropolises. There will be no local benefit.
PATH has filed for approval of their selected routes with the West Virginia Public Service Commission on May 15, 2009. The approval process began again on July 8, 2010 with the applicant's filing of new testimony. The case is active again after a 7-month delay. A decision on the permit is expected on May 16, 2011.
The transmission lines will run through 14 counties in West Virginia, including Jefferson. PATH will also cross 3 counties in Virginia and one in Maryland. At this time, PATH’s proposed route would run through or nearby numerous subdivisions, farms, parks, businesses, schools and historic sites. Properties in the way of proposed routes will be purchased by PATH and either demolished or resold.
The project’s recently raised estimated cost of now $2.1 billion has a return on equity to Allegheny Energy and American Electric Power of 14.3% guaranteed by FERC. Cost to construct these lines will be borne by electric customers in the thirteen-state PJM region, which includes West Virginia, Virginia and Maryland. With construction costs coming out of consumers’ pockets (including yours), the electric companies can’t lose and will make a huge profit selling cheap, coal-fired electricity to eastern cities.
How will this affect you?
Environmental Effects:
- Clear-cutting of new or expanded rights-of-way and use of herbicides to retard growth of vegetation. Herbicides could affect water quality in streams and wells forever.
- New or increased electro-magnetic fields from the transmission lines and their possible effect on the health and well being of people living in close proximity.
- Loss of wildlife habitat.
- Loss of prime farmland, soil erosion, stream sedimentation, lost recreational value of undeveloped land and aesthetic impacts and loss of scenic values forever.
- Homes along proposed routes could be in jeopardy of being bought by PATH, whether voluntarily or through eminent domain.
- Subdivisions will be dissected by PATH, wiping out portions of the community and lowering property values for homes left in these decimated subdivisions.
- Electric transmission lines on, adjacent to, or visible from properties can decrease their value up to 53%
Noise and disturbance during construction of PATH.
Electrical interference with appliances near the line.
To view a map of PATH's proposed route through Jefferson County, click here.