Public perceptions of electric power transmission lines

Abstract

Electric power transmission lines have recently met a very significant amount of public opposition. The source of such opposition varies from case to case, and is often hard to identify. Stated objections have included land use conflicts, noise created by the lines, aesthetic concerns, and fears of health and safety threats. Despite the sometimes enormous costs and long delays caused by strong opposition to transmission line siting and construction, both utilities and governmental regulators seem baffled at why the public objects so vehemently. At the same time, opponents are often equally baffled at why their objections seem to go unheeded. As a step toward developing satisfactory solutions to the conflict, this article reviews and critiques the literature dealing with attitudes toward electric power transmission lines, and outlines a conceptual framework for understanding the determinants of those attitudes.