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Progress Energy Carolinas is committed to providing safe, reliable and affordable energy to our customers.
Progress Energy’s continuous assessment of electric system requirements has identified the need for a transmission project – one of several planned or under way in Progress Energy’s service area – to help ensure a continued reliable supply of electric service to homes and businesses throughout the region and to prevent system overloads under certain conditions by 2011.
To meet that increased demand for electricity, Progress Energy plans to invest about $20 million in building a 25-mile, 230-kilovolt (kV) transmission line between a substation near the Tar River in Greenville and a substation south of Grifton, just inside the Lenoir County line.
Project Description
The project consists of building approximately 25 miles of 230-kiloVolt (kV) transmission line from Progress Energy’s 230-kV substation near the Tar River in Greenville and a substation south of Grifton, just inside the Lenoir County line.
The transmission line is expected to be attached to H-frame or single-pole structures, or a combination, each standing approximately 90-100 feet tall and spaced approximately every 500-700 feet.
The project schedule calls for the new transmission line to be operational by mid-2007. A centerline survey is scheduled to begin in September 2004, and the final route will be determined in early 2005. Clearing will begin in the fall of 2009, and construction is scheduled to get under way in early 2010. Schedules are subject to change to reflect changes in usage growth and other factors.
Benefits to the Community
- The electric system must keep pace with growth throughout this region. In addition to building new power plants, Progress Energy must enhance the transmission and distribution systems to help ensure a continuous, reliable flow of electricity to homes and businesses in the region. Progress Energy is responsible for planning and building the transmission system that serves all customers in the region (whether they purchase electricity directly from Progress Energy or from a municipal utility, such as Greenville Utilities, or cooperative utility).
- Current projections indicate that without the new project, the current transmission infrastructure in the area could be overloaded under certain conditions by 2007, potentially creating the types of electric system reliability concerns that have plagued other parts of the country in recent years.
- Electricity is far too important for our customers to risk service interruptions or problems with power quality due to inadequate facilities. Progress Energy and the N.C. Utilities Commission have an obligation to ensure that the electric system is maintained and upgraded appropriately.
- The transmission upgrades are expected to generate more than $60,000 in additional annual property tax revenues for local governments.
Land Acquisition
In the 1980s and early 1990s, Progress Energy, then CP&L, purchased the 100-foot easement, as well as rights to install guys and anchors outside of the easement and the right to cut danger trees outside of the easement. (Danger trees are trees that would hit the transmission line if they fell.) Progress Energy land agents will work individually with property owners in purchasing any additional easements needed for the facilities. The line will require 50 feet, or slightly more, of right of way on both sides (100-foot total easement requirement). If additional easements are needed to permit construction and maintenance of the transmission facilities, Progress Energy will negotiate individually with property owners for easements. Landowners retain ownership of the property with some restrictions on its use.
Public Participation
Progress Energy believes public participation is critical to the success of the project. The company will host a meeting for the public on Aug. 24 from 5 to 7:30 p.m. at the Willis Bldg., 300 E. First St., in Greenville. The purpose of the meeting is to provide information on the need, scope and schedule of the project and gather pertinent data from property owners and others on the proposed route. Progress Energy also will make information available via the news media and Web and will communicate directly with impacted property owners and others.
Schedule
Public announcement: Aug. 11, 2004
Information meeting: Aug. 24, 2004
Centerline survey begins: Sept. 2004
Final route selection: early 2005
Right-of-way acquisition begins: first quarter 2005
Line construction: early 2010 through May 2011
New line and substations in service: June 2011
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