KUWAIT CITY, March 9: The Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Oil, Minister of Electricity, Water and Renewable Energy, Dr. Muhammad Al-Faris, studies conducted by the Radiation Protection Department of the Ministry of Health, confirmed that there is no harm from high-voltage overhead power lines which pass through near government and residential buildings, reports Al-Jarida daily. In response to a query by MP Hamad Al-Matar, Al-Faris said the Ministry of Electricity and Water does not erect highpressure power lines near homes, saying they are at a safe distance of between 20 and 45 meters, depending on the voltage of the power lines, which ranges between 132, 300, and 400” kVs.

He added the cost of underground cables in some areas near homes ranges between 20 and 25 times the cost of overhead lines, stressing that it has not been proven by Radiation Protection Department study that there is damage from high-voltage power which are some distance away from the residential areas. He explained that the high-voltage lines are installed after coordination with the relevant government agencies, including the Kuwait Municipality, the Environment Public Authority, and the Ministry of Health, and added he did not find complaints from citizens about these highvoltage power lines.