Public Concerns About Stray Voltage
In metropolitan areas, stray voltage issues have become a major concern. Many of these areas have large amounts of aging underground and aboveground electrical distribution equipment in crowded public spaces. Even a low rate of insulation failures or current leakage can result in hazardous exposure of the general public.
Consolidated Edison in New York City has had frequent incidents of stray voltage, including the electrocution death of Jodie S. Lane in 2004, while walking her dog in Manhattan. In 2009, the Jodie S. Lane Public Safety Foundation announced a publicly accessible website with maps showing thousands of reported stray voltage locations in New York City. In addition, the Foundation sponsors the "Jodie S. Lane Stray Voltage Detection, Mitigation & Prevention Conference", an annual meeting attended by power utilities and regulators from around the country to discuss stray voltage detection programs. The Foundation also initiated and advocates regular mobile scanning by utility companies for stray voltage hazards.
In Boston, NSTAR Electric (formerly Boston Edison) has also had problems with hazardous stray voltages, which have killed several dogs during the 1990s. As a result, the City of Boston government started a program to detect, report on, and repair stray voltage hazards.
Toronto Hydro pulled all employees off regular duty on the weekend of January 30, 2009 to deal with ongoing stray voltage problems in the city. This came after as many as five children were shocked though none suffered serious injury. The stray voltage problem had claimed the lives of two dogs in the previous few months.
In March 2013, Californian Simona Wilson won a $4 million lawsuit against her power company after stray voltage from a substation near her house repeatedly shocked her and members of her family whenever they were in the shower.
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