Analysis of Electromagnetic Pollution due to High Voltage Transmission Lines

Abstract

The International Radiation Protection Association (IRPA) recommends measuring the   electric field and the magnetic field strength for evaluation of electromagnetic pollution from power lines. This paper, therefore practically examined the fields pollution from 132 kV and 330 kV lines in Bauchi/Gombe areas in Nigeria as a case study. The evaluation is based on the safety limits recommendations of International Committee on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP, 1998).  In the measurement, Trifield metre was used to measure the fields in the vicinity of the lines with horizontal distance ranging from 0 – 450 m and vertical distance of 1.5 m. In the assessment, general public and occupational exposure levels from the power lines were sampled. For the general public, the highest magnetic flux density and electric field strength measured is 45 mG and 130 V/m which is 4.5 % and 2.6 % of the ICNIRP, 1998 exposure limit. The highest magnetic flux density and electric field strength measured is 100 mG and 130 V/m respectively which correspond to 2 % and 1.3 % of the ICNIRP, 1998 exposure limit for the occupational worker. The result showed that the measured fields are within safety limit.

Keywords: ICNIRP, EMC, Right-of -Way, Safety Distance, Electromagnetic Pollution, Occupational and General Public Exposure