NV Energy puts brakes on controversial power line

Heather Cory

Bill Wilson, a resident of the Section 4 neighborhood in Henderson, points to where NV Energy’s proposed large transmission lines would run through his yard.

By Jeremy Twitchell (contact)

Friday, Feb. 27, 2009 | 3:05 p.m.

A proposed power line in east Henderson that upset residents of the rural neighborhood it would traverse has been put on indefinite hold by NV Energy.

In January, the Henderson Planning Commission had asked the utility company to look at alternative routes for the transmission line after residents of the Section 4 neighborhood turned out in droves to oppose the request.

NV Energy's findings were expected at last night's Planning Commission meeting, but in a brief letter to the city dated Feb. 20, NV Energy Senior Land Use Consultant Thomas Dombrowski instead requested an indefinite continuance in order to give the company time to examine the alternatives.

NV Energy representatives at the meeting said they were not authorized to comment further.

Since the issue was not continued to a specific date, NV Energy will be required to send out another round of public notices when it brings the matter back before the city.

Residents of Section 4 said they oppose the project because of the potential for electromagnetic radiation coming off the transmission line and for its potential impact on views and property values.

NV Energy has said the transmission line will be necessary to meet the Las Vegas Valley's growing power needs and proposed the route through Section 4 because it already has the easement to build there. There has been a smaller line in the corridor since the 1930s.

Moving the transmission line would require NV Energy to purchase additional land, and it would have to pass that cost on to rate payers, company representatives told the Planning Commission in January.

Though residents welcomed the news of a continuance, they remained wary.

Bill Wilson, whose house lies directly beneath the proposed line and was one of the loudest voices against it, said residents don't feel they can trust NV Energy, because information given to residents about the project didn't match the information given to the city.

"I think they're trying to pull a fast one," Wilson said. "As they demonstrated at the last Planning Commission meeting, they have not been honest in this process."

Section 4 resident Tom Engel said he has been disappointed by the overall lack of detailed information in NV Energy's presentations.

"When you're talking about something that affects this many people's lives, you should know what you're talking about," Engel said.

Wilson said residents will keep a vigilant watch for when the proposal returns before the board.

"The next time they do it, we'll have twice as many people here," he said. "We'll be even more organized. A lot of people have recognized the financial and physical impacts."

Jeremy Twitchell can be reached at 990-8928 or jeremy.twitchell@hbcpub.com.