tractor in field

Wanapa Project

What is the purpose for this transmission line?

The build-out of this 230 kV transmission connection between the Bonneville Power Administration’s (BPA) McNary substation and UEC’s Wanapa substation will support industrial areas around the region. This will also provide additional renewable and traditional power sources to both areas thus improving connectivity and resiliency within UEC’s transmission power grid.

Will this transmission line affect my health? I have concerns about electric and magnetic fields (EMF) and talks of cancer-related illnesses.

Electric and magnetic fields, commonly known as EMF, exist wherever electricity is produced or used, including around any electric appliance or wire that conducts electricity. Whenever you turn on a lamp, use a microwave, or use your computer, these frequencies are around.

The electric power we use in America is a 60 Hertz (Hz) alternating current, meaning the electric charges move back and forth 60 times per second, creating an “extremely low frequency” field. These are different from the much higher frequency fields associated with radio and TV waves and cell phone signals.

Do EMFs from transmission lines pose health hazards?

The issue has been studied for more than 40 years by governments and scientific organizations around the world. The balance of scientific evidence indicates exposure to electric and magnetic fields cannot conclusively be linked to the cause of disease. Organizations include the World Health Organization the United States National Cancer Institute and others.