Visual significance as a factor influencing perceived risks: cost-effectiveness analysis for overhead high-voltage power-line redesign

摘要

Residents' concerns about the impact of high-voltage power-lines often lead to conflicts in urban, suburban and rural areas, affecting the acceptance of projects and leading to additional implementation costs. This paper presents analysis which is intended to serve as a useful tool to aid decision-makers in managing these concerns, while taking the economic consequences into account. It was applied in the selection of an alternative to rerouting and/or undergrounding two 220 kV power-lines in the urban fringe. The influence of the power-lines' visual significance on perceived health and safety risks was estimated using visual factors and expert assessment. The estimated effect of visual significance was then integrated in economic analysis that linked the initial investment effort, its effectiveness and potential reinvestment costs. This analysis unblocked the process of selecting routing alternatives, informing the parties involved about the trade-offs of each option. Introducing the above-mentioned variables in the decision-making process helped make decisions more socially sensitive.