Grid infrastructure and safety

We are always focused on keeping our communities safe. The main safety risk with high voltage electricity transmission is accidental electrocution. This is a very low risk. To protect against this, we send this energy on wires carried by poles and pylons or buried underground in cables. 
 

Some people also have concerns about electric and magnetic fields (EMFs) near electricity lines and cables. EMFs occur anywhere that electricity is generated, transmitted or used. EMFs from electricity are extremely low frequency. The consensus from health and regulatory authorities is that they do not present a health risk.

The International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) website has more details on the safety of power lines.

As more people adopt solar energy, there has also been increased curiosity about its potential health effects. Residential solar systems are shown to be safe.

The minor electromagnetic radiation from photovoltaic solar panels is extremely low. As with many electronic devices, the materials in solar panels only present a threat to human health if sourced or handled incorrectly. It's very rare for anybody other than energy professionals to be exposed to these elements.

In short, solar panels are an excellent renewable alternative to powering your home from the power grid.

Operational safety refers to anything that could have a negative impact on the system’s ability to function. Our resilience and emergency planning details how we respond to different issues on the grid.

We actively work to reduce the impact of our work on the environment. Our future energy plans detail how we're planning to add more renewable energy on the grid, while reducing our own environmental impact.