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Summit Co. residents fight power pole installation

Posted at 5:08 PM, Apr 18, 2012
and last updated 2012-04-18 20:29:31-04

KAMAS -- New power lines going up in a Summit County neighborhood have residents upset.

Rocky Mountain Power plans to install a new transmission line from Kamas to Oakley. Kamas residents are resisting the addition, saying it will ruin their view.

"My view is of Deer Valley. I look out my window and I see framed in my trees Deer Valley," said resident Ally Barr. "That's going to change my experience of where I live."

The project began 6 years ago and Rocky Mountain Power says it's about 80 percent done. They say they've explained the project to residents and have listened to their concerns.

"This is the last segment. We need to bring in a transmission line to allow the electricity to feed in from different directions which will be a benefit for the entire area," said Margaret Oler with Rocky Mountain Power.

Residents say it's a benefit they can live without. Steel poles will be placed every 80 to 100 feet apart, and every pole about 5 feet in circumference.

Rocky Mountain Power says they'll do a study to figure out how much it would cost to put the lines underground, an estimated 3 or 4 times the current cost. Residents would have to foot the bill, but they say they may be willing to pay that cost to keep their view.