Appalachian Power representatives plan transmission upgrades to improve electric service reliability for customers in Grayson County.
The Independence Area Project: Transmission Line Upgrades represent an estimated $55 million investment in the area and involves building approximately 15 miles of 69-kilovolt (kV) transmission line. The area upgrades provide a second source of power to customers served out of Independence Substation, support a planned future substation in the Baywood area and provide enhanced reliability in the region.
Company representatives are evaluating options for the new line. Route options begin at the proposed Point Lookout Substation, located near Austin Street and North Independence Avenue, in Independence. The line extends northeast toward the planned substation in Baywood before connecting with the Jubal Early Substation located off Windmill Road outside of Galax.
Appalachian Power project team members plan to host a “come-and-go” event Tuesday, Nov. 16, 5 – 8 p.m. at Grayson County High School, located at 110 Blue Devil Drive in Independence. The in-person open house offers area residents the opportunity to talk with project representatives, view detailed maps and provide feedback on the project. There is no formal presentation, attendees can arrive at any time during the event. Community members who are not able to attend the open house may visit AppalachianPower.com/Independence to access project information, view an interactive map, enter a virtual open house and submit comments through a “Contact Us” link.
Landowners within the project area can also expect to receive a packet in the mail that includes additional project details, a detailed map and a comment card they can return by mail with their feedback. Landowners are encouraged to provide input by Friday, Dec. 3.
“Input from the community is critical to selecting a proposed route for the new transmission line,” said George Porter, Appalachian Power spokesperson. “We encourage landowners to attend the open house or provide feedback by calling, emailing or visiting the project website.”
We are committed to keeping you informed about this project while also keeping our customers and employees safe and healthy during COVID-19. Project team members plan to wear face coverings at the in-person open house and encourage those who plan to attend the in-person event to also wear face coverings. For the safety of the community and the project team, those who are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms or are feeling unwell are asked to please consider visiting the virtual open house to learn more about the project.
Company representatives expect construction to start spring 2023 and conclude by summer 2024. Visit the website for additional information about the project.
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 16,800 employees operate and maintain the nation’s largest electricity transmission system and more than 223,000 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 30,000 megawatts of diverse generating capacity, including 5,500 megawatts of renewable energy.
