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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 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 2009.
In addition to new electric generation coming on line in the area, Progress Energy plans to invest about $15.3 million to enhance current electric substations and build a new 230-kiloVolt electric transmission line between Rockingham and Wadesboro. The new line, to be in service by June 2009, represents an investment of about $10 million. Initial plans, announced in early 2004, called for a project costing about $15 million. But by utilizing a portion of an existing transmission line, Progress Energy was able to reduce the estimated cost by one-third and minimize the impact on property owners, while continuing to meet the region’s electricity needs reliably.
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Project Description
The project consists of building approximately 13 miles of 230-kiloVolt (kV) transmission line from Progress Energy’s Rockingham 230-kV substation (located east of the intersection of Airport Road and Mizpah Road) to the Wadesboro-Bowman School 230-kV substation (located north of Wadesboro). Improvements will be made to the Rockingham 230-kV substation. And the Rockingham West 115-kV substation (located in northwestern Rockingham) and the Wadesboro 115-kV substation (northeast of Wadesboro) will be converted to 230 kV and will be served from this new line.
The transmission line is expected to be attached to either single transmission poles or H-frame structures, or a combination of the two, standing approximately 90-100 feet tall and spaced approximately every 500-700 feet (800-900 feet apart for H-frame structures).
The project schedule calls for the new transmission line to be operational by June 2009. Schedules are subject to change to reflect changes in usage growth and other factors. The exact length of the transmission line will be determined by the route selected. Route selection, easement acquisition, additional engineering and design and other milestones will occur before construction gets under way.
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Benefits to the Community
- Provides electricity to meet the demands of growth in the area.
- The upgrades will enhance system reliability for electricity consumers throughout the region, including consumers who receive electric service from providers other than Progress Energy.
- The transmission upgrades will generate additional annual property tax revenues for the counties and municipalities where the facilities will be located (estimated at about $30,000 for Richmond County and $50,000 for Anson County).
- Maintaining a robust system for supplying and delivering electricity is integral in ensuring the continued economic prosperity of the region.
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Land Acquisition
Once a route is selected, Progress Energy land agents will work individually with property owners in purchasing easements for the facilities. The line will require 50 feet, or slightly more, of right of way on both sides (100-foot total easement requirement). Progress Energy negotiates individually with property owners for easements to permit construction and maintenance of the transmission facilities. Landowners retain ownership of the property with some restrictions on its use.
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Public Participation
Progress Energy believes public participation is critical to the success of the project. The company has held public meetings 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. The N.C. Utilities Commission also may hold public hearings as part of its review process. Progress Energy also will make information available via the news media and Web and will communicate directly with impacted property owners and others.
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Schedule
- Route Selection: early 2005
- Right-of-way acquisition begins: early 2006
- Line construction: mid-2008 through June 2009
- New line and substations in service: June 2009
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Map
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