By LINDA HARRIS
The State Journal
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Appalachian Power is planning to invest $90 million in a 24-mile higher voltage transmission line and two new substations in Logan and Lincoln counties.
Spokesman Philip Moye said the upgrade will allow Appalachian Power and its affiliate, West Virginia Transmission Company, to retire about 17 miles of aging transmission lines, replacing it with a “more robust power source” while also reducing the likelihood of extended outages.
Moye said the company hopes to be positioned to begin construction in fall 2018, “then be done in late 2020. There’s probably a year, year-and-a-half worth of construction.”
“With some substations in the area, when you lose power due to a transmission line … there’s no good way to provide electricity through an alternate route. This will help with that problem, it will improve reliability.”
Appalachian Power’s preliminary study covers an area from Sheridan to Chapmanville, with a proposed route following Route 10 and passing through Branchland, Midkiff, Ranger, Leet and Big Creek. The transmission line to be retired runs from Sheridan to Huntington.
The company has scheduled two open houses — Aug. 2 at Lincoln County High School and Aug. 3 at Chapmanville Regional High School — to discuss the proposal, including proposed routes.
Moye said the open houses “allow us to talk directly with customers, share information and gather valuable feedback to help in determining the best route.”
“A lot of these lines are built 60 or 80 years ago, the way the population is distributed, towns and roads … is probably not like it is now,” he said. “We’re trying to address it in a way that’s going to make for a more reliable transmission grid for folks in that region.”
When it’s done, Moye said the project will bring Lincoln and Logan counties an estimated $1.2 million in combined annual tax revenue.
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