Pole predicament: Seal Cove residents disgusted by utility poles along shoreline

The placement of utility poles along a shoreline in Seal Cove, Conception Bay South earlier this month is being met with shock and anger from residents who say their pristine view has been obstructed.

• Nalcor under fire from Conception Bay South mayor

But Nalcor Energy says residents were consulted on all aspects of the project.

Joanne Rideout came home recently and said she was surprised to see more than a dozen wooden poles directly in front of her new home.

"It's upset all residents," she said.

Rideout said her once spectacular view of Conception Bay is now marred by the unsightly poles, and feels a better approach could have been taken — including running the wires underground.

Her neighbour, Dave Newell, agrees.

"We did not know there was going to be a pole line stuck right down the beach and ruin our views, our land values, and most importantly, the feelings of the residents here," said Newell.

The poles run parallel with the T'Railway, the route of the former railway bed that now serves as a linear park through C.B.S.

Rideout said there are tight restrictions on the use of the T'Railway, and he's surprised Nalcor Energy was given the green light to install the poles.

"It's just so backwards," she said. "It looks horrible." 

Most feasible option

The poles are part of an overhead power line that will run from a converter station at Soldiers Pond, about 35 kilometres east of St. John's, to a new shoreline electrode, or grounding station, at nearby Dowdens Point.

It's part of a system needed to allow electricity to continue flowing from Muskrat Falls when repairs or maintenance on the transmission system is required.

Nalcor issued a statement Tuesday, saying it held public consultations with area residents before any decisions were made.

But Newell said the pole line was overshadowed by other issues.

"We didn't pay attention … We paid attention to Muskrat Falls and that project down on the head down there. As for the pole line, it was not even in our thoughts that someone would stick a pole line on the only stretch of property you could drive on and enjoy a view in Conception Bay South.

"Just take a look at what … we're going to have to look at for the rest of our lives if nothing is done about this."

Mayor sympathetic to concerns

Conception Bay South Mayor Stephen Tessier said he sympathizes with residents, and town council has asked Nalcor to consider another option, but he's not holding out much hope.

Tessier was told by Nalcor officials that a sub-surface line would dramatically increase costs, at a time when there's already widespread frustration over cost and schedule overruns on the Muskrat Falls project.

Nalcor made no reference to reconsidering the overhead pole line in its statement to CBC News.

"After several years of planning, the current design was identified as the most feasible option," the statement read.