I've spent many a day working underneath high tension powerlines. Some pushing AC, some pushing DC. We used to have to keep track of permanent growth plots under the powerlines. The reason was to document the type of vegetation growth present. They did this to justify their herbicide program over time. The goal was to get the rights of way in a shrubby state, rather than trees, as this meant less maintenance over the long term. These were transmission lines coming out of Hydro Quebec and the Moore and Commerford reservoirs on the Connecticut river in northern NH.
Anyway, on a dry day you can hear the buzzing. On a foggy or drizzling day you can hear the lines sizzle and crackle. It is spooky to hear. Often times, we have to use land under or adjacent to these powerlines as a staging area for processing trees in to logs and pulp. We have guidelines that tell us how far these lines will arc to anything metal. It varies by the type and voltage running through the lines but it is in the teens. More on a wet day.
I agree with Barb, I would never live directly adjacent to these lines. I wouldn't mind owning land where the line passes through it, but I am not building my house next to it.
On a side note, here in NH where we are about 83% forested, these powerlines are often the only chance we get at any kind of a view while in the forest.
