Northeast Calgary residents petition against Enmax overhead transmission line – Calgary [Video]

An overhead, high voltage transmission line is putting Enmax and a northeast Calgary community at odds, with a petition now circulating against the utility’s proposal.

Enmax is proposing a $40 million replacement for a 138 kilovolt (kV) transmission line through the community of Winston Heights-Mountainview, which has been in service since the late 1970s.

According to Enmax, the Central Calgary Transmission Line Replacement Project is required “to ensure continued reliability and meet the long-term needs of the electricity system.”

However, the power company’s preferred route would bring the line above ground, which has charged opposition in the neighbourhood.

“We’ve lived in the area for 25 years and I’ve never seen people rally around something like this before,” said Craig Baskett, who started the petition against the proposal.

Enmax’s preferred route would see the line run overhead down a residential street, along Munro Park and down 17 Avenue N.E. between Edmonton Trail and Moncton Road. The line would continue overhead …