Stray Current is a Growing Concern

Thursday, 26 November 2015 at 17:39

One local MPP attended the latest Oxford County Council meeting to present his findings of the harmful effects of stray current

OXFORD COUNTY - Stray current continues to be a problem for farmers throughout the area.

Every 3rd power along the side of the road has a metal pole going through the middle of it to work as a ground, even though it can have harmful effects. MPP of Chatham Kent, Rick Nicholls, made a presentation at the latest Oxford County Council Meeting to outline the concerns he has with stray current. "We have documented proof that stray current is killing animals on farms, that is where this first came to note. Dairy farmers will say when it rains it is just havoc on the cattle, they get irritated, they go to drink but they can't drink because there is current in the water, it then causes poor milk production."

Prolonged exposure can effect every type of animal and can even be deadly for humans as a women died of a fried liver as a result of stray current. Nicholls is trying to spread the message on the difference between stray current and stray voltage. "Hydro One has to stop their current practice of taking power current from the power lines running into the ground, which it then causes it to become what is called stray current, not stray voltage, voltage doesn't kill current does."

One local dairy farmer from Drumbo was mentioned in the presentation as he has lost 110 head off cattle in the past 10 years, and that has taken a financial toll on his farm. Nicholls is looking forward to introducing a Private Member's Bill in the beginning of the new year to deal with this issue. "While my Private Member's Bill will be brought forward in February, and of course the intent of that Private Member's Bill or a motion is to force the government's hand and saying to Hydro One one you have got to stop throwing the current into the ground. They have to got to come up with another way, experts have a solution for it in terms of a recommendation in what needs to happen."