In recent letters to the editor, statements have been made about the placement of the new Bonneville Power Administration 500-kilovolt lines and towers along existing corridors due to lower up-front cost savings.
In business there is a term called “total cost of ownership.” This suggests that there are more costs to be recognized than just the initial cost in any purchase. (Quality, service/responsiveness, technology and environmental impact each has an associated cost.)
Such is the case with the building of the 500kv lines. If the new lines were to be built next to the existing lines, it would mean high vulnerability to any natural or man-made disaster. It should be recognized that these lines run unguarded for thousands of miles and serve the whole of the Northwest and California. The loss of power for any prolonged period of time would be devastating from both monetary and human terms. Separating the lines on a new corridor would make such a simultaneous occurrence negligible. While one set of lines may be disabled, the other line could continue to fulfill the critical needs of the large U.S. region.
BPA should not make this major decision based on the easiest way or least initial costs. Serious consideration should be given to the total cost of ownership.
