Power Quality

The suit was filed by former attorney General Frank Kelley in 1998 after hundreds of dairy farmers, and some swine and dog kennel operators complained that “stray” electricity affected behavior and health of livestock, and particularly reduced milk production of cows. The complaint to the Public Service Commission was filed against Consumers Energy Co, a subsidiary of CMS Energy, but several Rural Electrification Administration, (REA) power companies have had similar suits against them.

Power companies have claimed the farm problems were not their fault, but the result of poor management by the farmers. Research conducted on farms in Wisconsin, Michigan, and Minnesota revealed that the problem was not simply stray voltage, but electrical pollution of the premises with transient and harmonic currrents that affect the nervous systems of cows. Others have shown effects on cats, mice and people.

Michael E. Moody, Assistant Attorney General is handling the case, with Peter Lark, in charge of Special Litigation for Michigan Attorney General, Jennifer Granholm.

James E. Brunner and James W. Dempsey Legal Counsel for Consumers Energy, and attorneys for several hired law firms have been deposing witnesses.

Direct testimony had to be filed by March 30, 2000. The trial before PSC, Administrative Hearing Officer , Danienl E. Nickerson, Jr.will consist of cross-examination of witnesses who filed testimony.

A Schedule of Witnesses Posted for September 16 to October 4, 2002 is attached.

Witnesses for the plaintiff, Attorney General of Michigan, Jennifer Granholm, will be cross-examined before the Michigan Public Service Commission beginning at 9:00 A.M., Monday September 16, 2002, at the MPSC, 6545 Mercamtile Way, Lansing, Michigan. (Near Exit 104 off I-96).

Attorney General’s witness will be:

September 16, 9:00 A.M., Donald W. Zipse, P.E., Professional Engineer and Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE). He will describe how power companies using a grounded wye distribution system put uncontrolled electricity into the ground and how it travels from utility down-ground rods through water pipes, drain pipes, and the soil. He will testify that such uncontrolled electricity is dangerous to people in showers, swimming pools, bath tubs, and kitchen or laundry washing facilities in the home, and how it shocks dairy cows and other livestock on farms. He will discuss that the IEEE which sets standards for power quality and safety in the National Electric Safety Code (NESC) specifically mandates that under normal circumstances and normal operations there can be no objectionable flow of current over the grounding conductor. Current that leaves the utility’s substation over the utility’s wires should return over the utility’s own neutral wires. Mr. Zipse is substituting for David Stetzer, Industrial Electrician from Blair, Wisconsin who collected electrical data on over 100 dairy farms, and discovered the relationship between transient and harmonic electricity that reduced milk production on dairy farms in Wisconsin, Michigan and Minnesota, but he will not be available to testify at the hearing.

Monday, at 2:00 P.M, September 16. William O. English, P.E., Electrical Engineer and former member of the Michigan PSC will testify. English investigated electrical complaints on numerous farms in Michigan when he was a member of the Public Service Commission and has continued his investigative activity. He will describe electrical problems that originate on the farm and those that originate off the farm, and offer means for power companies to mitigate the uncontrolled electrical earth currents.

Tuesday –September 17, at 9:00 A.M., Alex Furo, Electrical Engineer from Ontario, Canada will testify about policies, practices and procedures of power companies as it relates to the potential adverse effects on dairy and other livetock from electromagnetic fields, ground currents and direct currents associated with the electrical service. He will explain how small currents, unmeasurable by common votmeters, can be transmitted from its source by induction through the air, as well as by conduction through wires.

Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2:00 P.M. Nancy Bellville, wife, mother, and dairy farmer with husband Brian, experienced “electrical pollution” on their farm found to be caused by transient and harmonic electricity, when the power company claimed no stray voltage was present. The power company instruments failed to measure the lower voltage-higher frequency harmonics that were statistically related to decreases of milk production.

Wednesday, September 18, 9:00 A.M., Donald Hillman, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus, Department of Animal Science, Michigan State University. Conducted research and analysis of data from farms where Dave Stetzer collected electrical data with Fluke Event Recorder and Oscilloscope. They found that milk production was negatively related to transients and harmonic currents on eleven farms, and leg movements correlated with step potential voltage. Hillman’s testimony was limited to data collected before March 30, 2000, upon motion granted to Consumers Energy to strike because the research was completed after 3/30/00. Charles L. Goeke, MS, Martin Graham, DEE U.California, Berkeley, Kurt Mathson, EE, Harold H. VanHorn, Ph.D. and Charles J. Wilcox, Ph.D., Dairy Scientists and Statisticians at the University of Florida were co-authors of an article pertaining to the relationship of electrical power quality to milk production of dairy herds. The article is being reviewed for publication by the American Society of Agricultural Engineers.

Wednesday, September 18, 3:00 P.M., Larry Wallman, Electrical Investigator for Synergy Systems has monitored power lines, and evaluated the design and quality of power at various electrical installations and farms in Michigan. He was formerly an electrical investigator for Lansing Board of Water and Light.

Thursday, , September 19, 9:00 A.M. Duane Dahlberg, Ph.D., Physicist, Electrical Pollution of the earth, and effects on humans and animals.

Thursday, September 19, Frank Perri, Power Quality Services, provided electrical measuring instruments for Consumers Energy according to their specifications.

Friday, September 20, 9:00 A.M., Michael Behr, Ph.D., Forensic Economist and Consultant on financial damages to dairy farms, author of book, “Stray Voltage Research Fraud.”

Friday, September 20, 3:00 P.M., William Peloquin,

Monday September 23, 9:00 A.M., Kenneth Main, DVM, Experience with dairy herd health and milk production of herds with stray voltage.

Monday, September 23, 1:00 P.M., Martin Graham, DEE, Professor Emeritus, Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering, University of. California., Berkeley, CA., Electrical measurements in the home by and mitigating procedures.

Consumers Energy Witnesses

Tuesday, September 24, 9:00 A.M. Linda Erdreich, Ph.D., Epidemiologist, stray voltage research literature review.

Tuesday, September 24, 1:00 P.M., James Schrandt, P.E. Electrical Engineer, Former Director of Power Quality, and Agricultural Services Director, Consumers Energy Co., responsible for the development, implementation, and management of programs and services for electric customers with livestock operations.

Wednesday, September 25, 9:00 A.M. Daniel Aneshansley, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca .N.Y. Co-author several articles on effects of electricity on dairy cows.

Wednesday, September 25, 2:00 P.M., Michael V. Lane, DVM, Consultant, Faculty, Department of Population Health and Reproduction, University of California, Davis, CA.

Thursday, September 26, 9:00 A.M., John Kaneene, DVM, MPH, Ph.D., Professor of Epidemiology. College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University. Review of stray voltage literature..

Friday, September 27, 9:00 A.M., Wayne Knoblauch, Ph.D., Farm Economist, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY

Friday, September 27, 1:00 P.M., Laverne D. Stetson, M.S., Agricultural Engineer, University of Nebraska, member of Science Advisors to the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission. Stay voltage investigations since 1976.

Monday, September 30, 9:00 A.M., Wayne Leja, MBA, Consumers Energy Rates and Electrical Strategic Business Unit Planning Department. Statistical analysis.

Monday, September 30, 1:00 P.M., Michael Stringfellow, Ph.D., Consultant, methodology, electrical waveforms, sources of radio frequency, and microwave electrical current measured on farms and power lines.

Tuesday, October 1, 9:00 A.M., Charles G. Forster, P.E., Electrical Engineer, Consultant, power quality in Industrial, power lines, and stray voltage on farms.

Tuesday, October 1, 1:00 P.M., Richard Thompson, B.S., Agricultural Economics, Consumers Energy, Consumers Agricultural Division stray voltage, detection, mitigation,field cases.

Wednesday, October 2, 9:00 A.M., Douglas J. Reineman, Ph.D., Department of Biological Systems Engineering, University of Wisconsin, Madison.. Research , sensitivity of cows to electricity in laboratory settings, ASAE, IET, and Wisconsin stray voltage committees.

Wednesday, October 2, 1:00 P.M., Frank Denbrock, P.E., Electrical Engineer, Consultant to Consumers Energy on power primary distribution and substation facilities in selected areas.

Thursday, October 3, 9:00 A.M., John B. Dagenhart, P.E., Consulting Engineer, member IEEE Interpretations subcommittee, discussion of Consumers Energy power lines.

Thursday, October, 3, 1:00 P.M., Edward D. Rothman, Ph.D, University of Michigan Statistical Consulting Service. Testifying as substitute for Richard W. Andrews (deceased).

Thursday, October 3, 2:00 P.M., Andrew Johnson, DVM, Consulting Veterinarian, Wisconsin , on behalf of Michigan Attorney General, effects of electricity on dairy cows.

Friday, October 4, 9:00 A.M., Jack Albright, Ph.D., Department of Animal Science, Purdue University. Animal behavior, stray voltage research on Indiana dairy farms. Witness for Consumers Energy.
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