wiredInUSA May 2018

Image: www.atcllc.com/straitscables/

Cable leak causes concern

Michigan’s environmental agency has advised nearby towns to monitor their drinking water. The leak was discovered after the two cables tripped offline. Pressure on the system was reduced to keep the loss to a minimum while staff traced the source of the leak. The cause was unknown, but both cables had sustained damage, Olson said. The leaked coolant is known to be highly toxic to at least one type of aquatic insect in the Great Lakes, but is considered less of a threat to fish.

Submerged electricity cables between Michigan’s two peninsulas were shut down after leaking around 2,080 liters of coolant fluid into the waterway. Thefluid isamineral-basedsyntheticoil thatcan be harmful if released into the environment, according to Jackie Olson, spokeswoman for the cable operator, American Transmission Co. No warnings were issued for people to avoid the area, where shoreline areas remain blanketed with ice, said Lt Rachel Wellman of the US coast guard. “We’ve confirmed the risk to human health is very low at the greatest,” she said.

wiredInUSA - May 2018

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