Progress Energy is committed to informing local residents about plans for transmission system enhancements that might impact them. 

Generally, the company holds public information workshops for any major transmission enhancements. The purpose of these workshops is to explain the need for new transmission construction and gather public input on various routes for the line. These public workshops are advertised through local newspapers and/or radio stations. News releases about the public meeting(s) are also sent to all local media outlets. Progress Energy has adopted the practice of sending letters to landowners whose property lies within 200 feet of any of the proposed routes. These mailing lists are developed using county property tax records.

In addition, company representatives meet with elected officials and others in the local government to review proposed routes and gather input prior to the public workshops.

At the workshops, company representatives are on hand to answer questions about the need for the line, proposed routes, project schedule and engineering. The company encourages meeting attendees to complete a project questionnaire and sign up on the project mailing list.

Progress Energy uses the questionnaires to help gauge citizen questions and concerns about the proposed project. The questionnaires for each project are tabulated, and the results are used to evaluate the line options. For example, one group of residents might cite avoiding residences as the most important factor to use when evaluating the route alternatives, while others might prefer minimizing impacts to environmentally sensitive areas.

Following the public meeting (and for a designated time thereafter), the company accepts electronic questionnaires through this Web site from people who were unable to attend a public information workshop. In addition, the company maintains a dedicated voice mailbox for each project. Residents can call in to that mailbox to express concerns or ask a question and receive a call back from a Progress Energy representative.

Once all the questionnaires are tabulated, each route alternative is ranked and evaluated by the company. When a final proposed route is chosen, Progress Energy sends a letter to everyone who attended the public meeting(s) on the project.

Following the route selection, land agents from Progress Energy will meet individually with property owners.  Progress Energy and its agents are committed to a cooperative process and attempt to find fair solutions for potential conflicts with the line.

The North Carolina Utilities Commission and the South Carolina Public Service Commission must approve any transmission construction above 161 kV and 115 kV, respectively. Those groups may elect to hold public hearings on the projects as well.