Report on High and Extra High Voltage Lines, Health and the Environment

By Mr Daniel RAOUL, Senator of Maine-et-Loire

This report was prepared by the Economic Affairs Commission of the French Senate
within the framework of the OPECST study.

France is the European country with the most extensive network of high and extra high voltage lines (+ 50 kV and + de 200 kV). Electricity distribution has been seen, ever since the interwar years, as an essential public service. Following the Second World War and thanks to its nationalization, the network was standardized and developed as part of a modernization and socioeconomic development project. Even today, RTE, the manager ope rator of France’s high voltage system is a 100% stateowned company. A reliable, well-performing network is an absolute necessity for a developed economy. It corresponds, today as it did yesterday, to public decisions made by the national democratic authorities in accordance with the general interest.

Download the full report on the OPECST website