Safety Concerns with High Voltage Lines

The letter from PECO some residents received.

To The Swarthmorean,

PECO has announced—through a letter sent to some Swarthmore neighbors—that plans are in place to run high voltage lines across our town. The proposed lines may stand directly above garages with gas-filled cars or sheds holding gasoline storage for lawn equipment or, in some cases, above homes within the 20-foot clearance span.

Since some homeowners’ insurance plans ask about proximity to high voltage lines, it seems to me that there may be safety concerns. Let’s start with a few questions.

What are the procedures for extinguishing high voltage fires in contrast to routine house fires?

How would our fire volunteers address two kinds of fires at once? What if a high voltage line sparks a house or garage fire, especially where gasoline is stored?

What new equipment, including trucks, chemicals to be stored, and protective gear for firefighters, are needed to be ready to fight high voltage fires? And at what cost?

With more extreme storms each season now, which are documented contributing causes of high voltage fires, would it be safer for Swarthmore firefighters and for all of us if high voltage lines were buried under the streets?

I think we need to ask PECO to hit pause and consider alternatives.

Candy Berlin
Swarthmore