Pylon and radiation review ‘omits key studies’

A review of studies into how high-voltage cables, and pylons, affect people’s health released by the European Commission was lambasted by an expert in the field who said it omitted important new studies.

However, Eirgrid, which plans to erect 750 pylons across 10 counties by 2017 at a cost of €3.2bn, interpreted the commission’s preliminary opinion on recent studies as giving them the green light.

Professor Theo Samaras, editor of the draft commission document, admitted some of the research considered in it on the dangers of electromagnetic fields (EMF) was irrelevant because of its poor quality.