Residents Oppose Planned Electricity Lines-July 29, 1953

Residents Protest Proposed High-Voltage Power Line Project at Selectmen’s Meeting

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The program, explained by William J. Kates, Norwood light superintendent, would require the purchasing or taking by eminent domain of some fifty-five acres for the proposed right of way.

The majority of residents protested the fact that the proposed right of way would cut directly through their property and therefore lower its market value. Others protested the location of poles and high-voltage wires near their homes. William J. Kates explained that in the long run, the program will result in savings to the town as far as the cost of electricity is concerned. He pointed out that under the present rates, the electricity bill for the town in 1970 will be $1,796,570. If the proposed program is implemented, this will be reduced to $1,615,536, a savings of $180,854. However, the annual payment for the program would be $176,815, which is lower than the annual savings.

The biggest area of contention was the location of the poles, which will be spaced some 600 feet apart along the two-mile proposed right of way. Edward L. Collins stated that the right of way would cut through his property and therefore would adversely affect the value of his property. William J. Kates noted that it was inevitable that some property would be damaged by the proposal but that the owners would be compensated for this.

The residents suggested using underground wires instead of stringing poles up along the route, but William J. Kates stated that costs would be too high to attempt to place underground cables. The possibility of electrical interference from the high-voltage lines was also discussed, and William J. Kates stated that there will be no interference, and if by some chance there is, the town of Norwood will be responsible for correcting it.

Archival Note: This article has been dynamically reconstructed from the original public record print archives of the Patriot Ledger