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BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON EXTRA-HIGH-VOLTAGE OVERHEAD ELECTRIC TRANSMISSION LINES

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David E. Janes · 1976

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Early technical documentation of extra-high-voltage transmission lines laid groundwork for infrastructure creating today's strongest residential EMF exposures.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

This 1976 technical report by Janes examined background information on extra-high-voltage overhead electric transmission lines, focusing on the infrastructure and operational characteristics of these power systems. The study provided foundational technical data about transmission lines that carry electricity at voltages typically above 345 kilovolts. This research represents early documentation of the power grid infrastructure that would later become central to EMF health research.

Why This Matters

This technical report represents a critical piece of the EMF puzzle from an era when the health implications of high-voltage transmission lines were barely on anyone's radar. The reality is that 1976 marked a time when the electric utility industry was rapidly expanding extra-high-voltage infrastructure across the country, yet systematic health research wouldn't emerge for another decade. What this means for you is that the very transmission lines documented in studies like this one now carry hundreds of thousands of volts directly over homes, schools, and communities. The science demonstrates that these lines create some of the strongest magnetic field exposures in residential environments, often exceeding 1-4 milligauss at property lines and sometimes much higher. Put simply, this foundational technical work helped establish the infrastructure that millions of people now live beneath, often without understanding the EMF exposures involved.

Exposure Information

Specific exposure levels were not quantified in this study.

Cite This Study
David E. Janes (1976). BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON EXTRA-HIGH-VOLTAGE OVERHEAD ELECTRIC TRANSMISSION LINES.
Show BibTeX
@article{background_information_on_extra_high_voltage_overhead_electric_transmission_line_g5596,
  author = {David E. Janes},
  title = {BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON EXTRA-HIGH-VOLTAGE OVERHEAD ELECTRIC TRANSMISSION LINES},
  year = {1976},
  
  
}

Quick Questions About This Study

Extra-high-voltage transmission lines typically operate at 345 kilovolts or higher, with some reaching 765 kilovolts or more. These are the massive tower lines that carry electricity across long distances between power plants and distribution networks.
The 1970s marked rapid expansion of high-voltage transmission infrastructure across the United States. Utilities were building larger, more powerful lines to meet growing electricity demand, often without considering potential health effects that would be studied decades later.
Extra-high-voltage transmission lines carry 10-30 times more voltage than typical neighborhood distribution lines. They're supported by much taller towers and create significantly stronger magnetic fields that can extend hundreds of feet from the line.
Technical reports from this era typically covered engineering specifications, construction methods, electrical characteristics, and operational parameters of transmission systems. Health considerations were not standard components of such documentation in 1976.
Yes, extra-high-voltage transmission lines can create some of the strongest residential magnetic field exposures, often measuring 1-10 milligauss or higher near homes, compared to typical household appliance exposures of 1-3 milligauss at close range.