To Telephone Pole Or Not To Telephone Pole

By Renée R. Donlon

When it comes to poles, size matters to residents of the East End. And so, when the Long Island Power Association (LIPA) recently announced its proposal to increase both the size and number of power line poles throughout the South Fork, the public began to mutter and mumble and write in disapproval. The number of new poles, the size, height and material of poles and the ratio of overhead versus underground lines all vary with four options included in the proposal. Public opinion, however, does not vary as much. Most Hamptonites seem to favor options that do not include overhead lines. The reason for this? Surprisingly, it appears that most people do not live or visit the Hamptons for its expansive views of power lines. They seem to come instead for the unmarred views of long stretches of beach, sea and fields, all of which look better without black lines running through them or steel poles sticking into them.

Yet the recent LIPA proposal sees some aesthetic loss as an unavoidable byproduct of its need to strengthen the grid. An August 21 on-line document bearing the catchy title "Bridgehampton-Southampton Transmission Line Proposed Routing Options" spoke of "major East End thermal equipment overloads [and] voltage collapse." The power grid is overloaded as it is and LIPA is worried that the disparity between supply and demand will only widen as the load growth increases. A graph titled "South Fork Load" predicts the load reaching 400MW by 2025 or 450MW in the case of "extreme weather." LIPA claims that as the load continues to grow, certain system conditions, if left unattended, will raise the risk of "cascading system failures" for both the North and South Forks.

More immediate concerns are also at hand. A table lists the problems the system is already experiencing and the solutions LIPA proposes to solve them. Among the problems, equipment overload and voltage collage are most frequent. Voltage collapse due to 69 kV double circuit outages, 138 kV bus outages and 138 kV cable outages happen often in Deerfield, Riverhead and at the Canal. There are also breaker outages and circuit and transformer overloads.

Reconfiguring substations, instituting load transfers or installing additional transformers can rectify some situations. Yet the solution for three accounts of voltage collapse/circuit overload is a "new circuit between Southampton and Bridgehampton." This is the solution under public scrutiny for its possible use of the dreaded aboveground lines. The solution includes four "proposed 69 kV transmission routes" by which the lines can run.

Option I is the Montauk Highway Route. It starts at the Southampton substation, runs with overhead lines on North Sea Rd., Windmill Rd., Nugent St., Hampton Rd. and Montauk Highway to the Sag Harbor Turnpike. A hybrid of overhead (O/H) and underground (U/G) lines run along the Sag Harbor Turnpike to the Bridgehampton substation. Total use of U/G lines is not considered an option as other routes are shorter and U/G are more costly. Listed advantages include the pre-existing "significant development." Disadvantages include the "high amount of tree trimming/removal," traffic disruption during construction, and the route's ranking as the longest one.

Option II is the David Whites Lane Route. Its course includes Seven Ponds Rd., Lower Seven Ponds Rd., Head of Pond Rd., Scuttle Hole Rd., and the Sag Harbor Turnpike. This route could be outfitted in all O/H, all U/G or a hybrid. The hybrid could use O/H for the agricultural areas and U/G for the residential ones, or vice versa. Option II is the shortest route and involves only moderate tree trimming. It also boasts "low exposure to the population" and an "opportunity to upgrade distribution at the same time." Listed disadvantages admit "local concerns about pole height." In places, pole height would grow by 4 to 26 inches. Base width would expand by 6 to 11 inches. Some wood poles would be replaced with steel ones. Added transmission could be placed on top of existing lines. Option II also admits that "some open space vista areas," as they put it, will be interrupted by lines. Yet, LIPA notes that this can be "mitigated with selective undergrounding if necessary." Option II is the entry with the most advantages and fewest disadvantages listed. It appears to be LIPA's favorite.

Option III is the Existing Transmission Route. No advantages are listed for this option. LIPA maintains that this is likely not a long-term option. LIPA also cites the narrowness of the path as a constraint on expansion. Yet, if considered, a hybrid of U/G and O/H is possible.

Option IV is the LIRR Route. The route would be all O/H along the LIRR to the Sag Harbor Turnpike with a hybrid used along the turnpike to Bridgehampton. While there would be no traffic interference, space for the new lines is limited and coordination with the LIRR would draw out construction. LIPA clearly states that this is not a "preferred option."

To see which option the Mother Earth prefers, an environmental assessment is in process. LIPA will hold an environmental impact hearing on Tuesday September 18 at the Southampton Inn on Hill Street from 3-5 p.m. and from 7-9 p.m.

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