AEP West Virginia Transmission Company, an Appalachian Power affiliate, filed an application on October 14, 2014, with the Public Service Commission of West Virginia requesting permission to rebuild approximately 6.3 miles of 46 kilovolt (kV) transmission line in Kanawha County.
The 1920s-era line runs between Appalachian Power’s Chemical and Turner substations. Once in service, the new line will provide a reliable source of electric service while strengthening the infrastructure and transmission grid in the region.
The Chemical-Turner Project involves replacing existing towers with sturdier steel lattice and H-frame towers of a higher voltage. The new taller structures allow for future upgrades and capacity growth without additional construction.
The majority of construction will take place within or adjacent to existing rights of way. In some areas, the right of way will be widened to accommodate construction.
“We strive to minimize impacts to the surrounding environment and the community,” said Shawn Smith, project manager. “This project, in addition to other work in the Kanawha Valley, continues to reinforce the transmission grid to provide reliable service in the area.”
Construction is scheduled to start in April 2015. The $20 million project is slated to be in service in spring 2016.
More information about the Chemical-Turner Project can be found at www.AppalachianPower.com/ChemicalTurner.
Appalachian Power has 1 million customers in Virginia, West Virginia and Tennessee (as AEP Appalachian Power). It is a unit of American Electric Power, one of the largest electric utilities in the United States, which delivers electricity to more than 5 million customers in 11 states. AEP ranks among the nation’s largest generators of electricity, owning nearly 38,000 megawatts of generating capacity in the U.S. AEP also owns the nation’s largest electricity transmission system, a nearly 39,000-mile network that includes more 765 kilovolt extra-high voltage transmission lines than all other U.S. transmission systems combined.