Appalachian Power representatives plan upgrades to the power grid serving customers in Grayson County. Company representatives are hosting an in-person open house for the Fries-Independence Transmission Line Rebuild Project.
The Fries-Independence Transmission Line Rebuild Project includes:
• Rebuilding approximately 11 miles of 69-kilovolt (kV) transmission line
• Building a new Scenic Road Substation
• Retiring the Fries Substation
The planned work allows crews to install a second power source to address aging equipment along the existing Fries – Independence transmission line, replacing wooden structures from the 1950s with modern steel poles.
“We’re really excited to have this opportunity to ensure continued reliable electric service for customers in Grayson County,” said George Porter, Appalachian Power spokesperson. “We understand the need for improvements in this area and hope the residents come out and provide feedback to help us build a project that minimizes impacts.”
Appalachian Power representatives invite landowners and community members to an open house for this project on Thursday, Aug. 18, 5 – 7 p.m., at the Grayson County High School Cafeteria, 110 Blue Devil Drive in Independence. Residents are encouraged to attend to review project details, talk with project representatives and provide feedback. There is no formal presentation, so attendees can arrive at any time during the two-hour event.
Community members who are not able to attend the open house may visit the project website at AppalachianPower.com/Fries-Independence. Landowners within the project area can expect to receive a packet in the mail that includes additional project details and a comment card they can return with their feedback.
This project, along with the recently announced multi-component Independence Area Project, supports enhanced electric reliability for customers in Grayson County. Together, these improvements reduce extended, community-wide outages and strengthen the power grid in the Elk Creek, Independence, Grant and Troutdale communities.
Crews plan to begin construction on the Fries-Independence Transmission Line Rebuild Project in early 2025 and conclude by late 2026.
Appalachian Power has 1 million customers in Virginia, West Virginia and Tennessee (as AEP Appalachian Power). It is part of American Electric Power, which is focused on building a smarter energy infrastructure and delivering new technologies and custom energy solutions. AEP’s approximately 16,700 employees operate and maintain the nation’s largest electricity transmission system and more than 224,000 miles of distribution lines to efficiently deliver safe, reliable power to nearly 5.5 million customers in 11 states. AEP is also one of the nation’s largest electricity producers with approximately 31,000 megawatts of diverse generating capacity, including 5,900 megawatts of renewable energy.
