APCO wants public input on new NRV transmission line project

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WSLS News Staff
Published: May 20, 2008

Appalachian Power wants to hear from people living in Montgomery County about its new plan to upgrade its electric transmission lines.

APCO wants to build eight miles of new electric transmission lines. Those are the tall towers that help bring high-voltage electricity over long distances to smaller sub-stations. APCO estimates the plan will cost $15 million, and the towers will be 100 feet tall and require a 100 foot right of way.

Click here for a map of the preliminary proposed corridors (PDF file, Adobe Acrobat reader required)

Click here for aerial pictures with the preliminary proposed corridors (PDF file, Adobe Acrobat reader required)

Right now, APCO says it is in the initial study phase of the project. The company calls it the “Falling Branch-Merrimac Project.”

According to a news release, APCO says the current electric infrastructure that serves Montgomery County, Blacksburg, and Christiansburg is primarily supplied by a “single radial 138 kilovolt (kV) line and multiple 69 kV lines.” The company adds in the news release that “peak electric demand in the area has increased from 207 megawatts (MW) in 2003 to 250 MW in 2008 and is expected to continue to grow steadily.”

APCO says the proposed project would tie together three existing substations, help prevent overloads, and reduce the likelihood of brown outs and black outs to the area.

APCO plans to file an application with the State Corporation Commission in September to get approval of the plan. Before that, APCO will hold a public workshop on Thursday, June 5th at Christiansburg High School, from 5:00-8:00 p.m. APCO’s will accept public comments there as well as online through their website: http://www.appalachianpower.com through July 18th.

“We’ve identified all of the routes that we think would work,” said Shawn Smith, project manager in the news release. “But, constructive public participation is critical to identifying the best place to locate this new line.”