# Is it safe to live near a power plant?



## jazzharmony (Nov 10, 2006)

We are considering moving about 2 blocks away from a very large power plant. There are no power lines going over our house, they all go the opposite direction from the power plant bldg (if that makes any sense) I have heard about living with power lines directly over a home but can't find anything online about living this close to a power plant.

This is a huge decision that we unfortunately have to make rather quickly. If we move there we will be there for many years.

Any info is much appreciated


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## shantimama (Mar 11, 2002)

I live less than half an hour away from a nuclear power plant. I hear that our area has higher than the provincial average for cancer rates, but I don't know how much of that is due to the nuclear plant and how much is from other causes.


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## Stinkerbell (Aug 11, 2005)

I dont believe in making decisions based on loose risks or slight chances BUT living near a power plant would make me nervous in this day of rampant terrorism.

That does NOT mean that I would walk away from a home I loved, that was right for my family. I wouldn't. I think you have to follow your heart with this stuff....home is where your heart is, right?


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## MommytoTwo (Jun 20, 2004)

I wish I could say yes but in all honesty I dont think I would be comfortable with it. I wont even look at homes w/ power lines above them, your situation is different but still... I dont think I would.


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## cristeen (Jan 20, 2007)

What type of power plant? Coal? Nuclear? Hydro? Geo-Thermal? The type of plant would determine my answer. Nuclear or coal, no way. Hydro, geo-thermal or wind, yes.


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## jazzharmony (Nov 10, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *cristeen* 
What type of power plant? Coal? Nuclear? Hydro? Geo-Thermal? The type of plant would determine my answer. Nuclear or coal, no way. Hydro, geo-thermal or wind, yes.

I wish I knew. We drove up to the building and couldn't find any identifying information. Just a big "danger high voltage" sign. I have been googling and can't find anything.


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## FoxintheSnow (May 11, 2004)

Well any risks aside, when you decide to sell the house you will probably face the extra burden of potential buyers worrying about the same thing you are.


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## kjbrown92 (Dec 13, 2007)

My DH has worked at a nuclear power plant for 15 years, and we live 30 minutes from it. No rise in cancer rates. But I thought living near coal plants had a big increase of breathing problems (asthma and emphysema). Not sure about trash burners. I'm sure there are statistics somewhere (some government agency must oversee all the different ones, like the NRC which oversees nuclear power).


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## YesandNo (Mar 16, 2008)

Be wary. In addition to living so near a power plant, the whole area may be zoned industrial..... not the best part of town to live in. Even if the power plant isn't that terrible for you, a chemical plant or pharmaceutical manufacturer may move in down the road.

We ran into a similar situation when we were house hunting two years ago. Couldn't believe that the big farmhouse with the nice yard was in our price range. Turns out the reason was the zoning. I'm glad we passed on that place, ultimately, since there is a big controversy here about a new power plant wanting to move into that section of town.


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## GearGirl (Mar 16, 2005)

No, I would not because it would just be something that would keep me from feeling totally relaxed in my house.


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## FondestBianca (May 9, 2008)

are you sure it's a power "plant". Do you just mean to say that it is a power "station". Like a fenced area with metal buildings with no staffing and just a bunch of large power lines, electrical boxes, big machinery, and a bunch of large metal poles with line? That would just be a collection point for electrical power. An automated place where power is sent out in various directions where needed. Kind of like a train track switch board or old style phone switchboard. ???

Or do you mean a staffed, huge, building with all kind of lines and equiptment outside?

If you are curious you could always call your real estate agent (if you have one) and they can find out for you. Or perhaps call the power companies that serve the area and so some asking about that particular address to see if it is their facility.


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## MoonWillow (May 24, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *kjbrown92* 
My DH has worked at a nuclear power plant for 15 years, and we live 30 minutes from it. No rise in cancer rates. But I thought living near coal plants had a big increase of breathing problems (asthma and emphysema). Not sure about trash burners. I'm sure there are statistics somewhere (some government agency must oversee all the different ones, like the NRC which oversees nuclear power).

I'm glad to hear you say that Kathy. We live less than a mile from a nuclear power plant. I had no idea it was there when we bought this house. Thats embarassing but true.







We sold our last house and purchased this one very quickly.
It's SUCH a beautiful area though. We love it here. We have a vineyard behind the house that leads right to lake Ontario (which we have a view of, most of the time). Just so happens that the power plant is also right on the lake, spitting distance away. Also, our lovely new Governor just decided to take away security there, to save money







.
I'd like to know if he would have done that if he lived here!







:
Sigh...
Anyway subbing!


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## pinksprklybarefoot (Jan 18, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *FondestBianca* 
are you sure it's a power "plant". Do you just mean to say that it is a power "station". Like a fenced area with metal buildings with no staffing and just a bunch of large power lines, electrical boxes, big machinery, and a bunch of large metal poles with line? That would just be a collection point for electrical power. An automated place where power is sent out in various directions where needed. Kind of like a train track switch board or old style phone switchboard. ???

Or do you mean a staffed, huge, building with all kind of lines and equipment outside?

I had this same thought. If it was a station, I wouldn't be all that concerned. For some reason, though, an entire plant would skeeve me out. I have no research to back that up, just a gut feeling. Maybe because they generally do not put that sort of thing in moneyed neighborhoods, yet have no qualms about building power plants and chemical plants in the poorer neighborhoods of cities. And it is possible to see some clusters of disease (like cancer) centered around less privileged, industrial areas. I just wouldn't want to take the chance.


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## rayo de sol (Sep 28, 2006)

I vote NO, don't move there. Google "electromagnetic radiation."


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## jazzharmony (Nov 10, 2006)

My husband called the listing broker who of course said she didn't know anything about it and changed the subject. She pointed out that it was in a different town. It's actually right on the town line and anyway, it's still 2 blocks from this house. We also called the town who knew nothing. What the heck?!
I can't find any information anywhere. I'm tempted to drive there and find a door to knock on.

Thanks everyone. I would rather not buy this house for a few reasons but husband likes it and we are in temporary living quarters with very little time to find a place


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## MoonWillow (May 24, 2006)

Please update of you find anything out. I am not having much luck myself. I did Google electromagnetic radiation but reading a definition of it makes my head







:.
Anyway good luck to you!


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## kjbrown92 (Dec 13, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *MotherWren* 
I'm glad to hear you say that Kathy. We live less than a mile from a nuclear power plant. I had no idea it was there when we bought this house. Thats embarassing but true.







We sold our last house and purchased this one very quickly.
It's SUCH a beautiful area though. We love it here. We have a vineyard behind the house that leads right to lake Ontario (which we have a view of, most of the time). Just so happens that the power plant is also right on the lake, spitting distance away. Also, our lovely new Governor just decided to take away security there, to save money







.
I'd like to know if he would have done that if he lived here!







:
Sigh...
Anyway subbing!

Can he do that? My DH's plant has tons of security. I've never even been allowed inside!! They have multiple checkpoints, concrete barriers, etc. They had good security, then after 9/11, they got huge security. And as far as I know, it's the plant that provides the security, not the government, so that seems very strange to me. Of course, this has nothing to do with whether it's safe (medically) to live near a power plant. I guess it really depends on the plant. There was just one going for a permit in our state -- biodiesel (converting leftover vegetable oil to fuel) -- which actually sounds very good and the town didn't want it because there would be "an increase in truck traffic". I hadn't even thought of that kind of power plant. But power plants typically pay the most property tax so for the town to not know anything seems ludicrous to me.


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## kjbrown92 (Dec 13, 2007)

can't you just do some sort of google search to find out what it is? "power+town name" or "electric+town name" or something?


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## Chakra (Sep 7, 2006)

Never in a million would I live by a power plant! We almost bought a home accross from a sub station and after hours of research we said no only bcus that.

Call the city and see how many wats or kilo wats it gives out. That would be the deal breaker for me.


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## jazzharmony (Nov 10, 2006)

We decided not to buy the house


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## mbravebird (May 9, 2005)

I know you've already reached your decision (which is the same one I would have made), but I just wanted to add that the EMF danger comes from the converters at power stations or power plants. Converters are much bigger culprits of dangerous EMFs than power lines are, from the research I've done.

All the studies on it have been done in Europe, and have found a pretty clear connection with high EMF's and increased rates of lots of stuff.

You could always rent a gaussometer and measure the EMF levels near the house.


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## calicocj (Oct 27, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *jazzharmony* 
We decided not to buy the house










I am so glad that is the decision you all made! Having done my master's research on combustion systems, there is no way I would ever live anywhere near any sort of fossil fuel power plant.


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