Frisco Residents Fight Proposed Power Lines Near Homes
FRISCO (CBSDFW.COM) - Lining up down the block, hundreds of Frisco homeowners came to get a peek at the proposal to build transmission lines through their neighborhood.
"It's gonna be very unsightly. Our backyard would open up onto these power lines," said Bob Bowser, who's lived in his home four and a half years.
"If you want to sell your house, who wants to buy a house on the other side of the fence from this
monster?" said Pamela Anderson, who's going on 11 years in her home.
With a two year old and a baby on the way, Kari Gussis said she's so concerned about potential health risks, she and her husband would consider selling the home they bought just this past February.
"It makes me sad that we have to put it on the market already, because it's not something we're willing to put our children through," she said.
Often listed as the country's fastest growing city, Frisco's rapid expansion has created an urgent need to increase its power supply.
Brazos Electric has proposed two viable routes for new lines - one down Main Street, another down Stonebrook Parkway.
The Texas Public Utility Commission will make the final decision.
"With the capacity, projected capacity shortage, Brazos Electric, I guess, for lack of better terms, doesn't care what route is chosen. We just need to address the capacity issue," said Richard Chambers, the project spokesperson.
A company engineer said burying the lines would be twenty to thirty times more expensive, a cost that would ultimately get passed to customers.
Studies on the health risks of power lines, the company says, have been inconclusive.
Tuesday's public meeting was intended to provide information on the proposal and to gather feedback.
Brazos Electric expects to submit its proposal to the state sometime this fall.
The approval process could then take a year.
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