In one of Madrid’s most affluent neighborhoods, in a residential area of single-story homes, tensions have flared among residents over the installation of a 47-meter-tall high-voltage transmission tower. In La Carrascosa, in La Moraleja (Alcobendas), residents’ concerns stem from the tower’s proximity—just 30 to 40 meters—to the nearest homes.
This infrastructure, operated by Red Eléctrica, has mobilized residents to such an extent that the Alcobendas City Council has approved a motion to formally request that it be buried underground or rerouted away from the residential area.
The controversy centers on health concerns arising from living so close to a large-scale power line. However, from a regulatory standpoint, the facility comfortably complies with national regulations on technical safety distances, set between 5 and 7 meters for inhabited buildings. Furthermore, European Union regulations and the guidelines of the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) set the exposure limit for the general public at 100 microteslas for low-frequency (50 Hz) magnetic fields—a threshold far higher than the actual values typically recorded by these power lines.
High-voltage towers in La Moraleja
Neighbors’ concerns stem from long-term, continuous exposure. It is true that the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), part of the World Health Organization (WHO), classifies very low-frequency magnetic fields as Group 2B (“possibly carcinogenic to humans”). This classification is based on statistical correlations observed in epidemiological studies on childhood leukemia following continuous exposure exceeding 0.3 or 0.4 microteslas. However, the WHO itself clarifies that a direct biological causal relationship has not been demonstrated, nor is there solid scientific evidence linking these fields to health issues in adults, such as migraines or sleep disorders.
Given this situation, international organizations suggest applying the precautionary principle through prudent infrastructure design to alleviate public anxiety. While resolving the conflict involves regional authorities and the electric utility, the community of La Moraleja remains steadfast in its demand that engineering and urban planning prioritize the peace of mind and well-being of families.