Construction is expected to begin this month locally on a 60-mile, high-voltage utility line that will extend from Clark to Delaware counties to bolster electrical supply and reliability in the region.
Crews will begin in about two to three weeks installing 80-foot wooden poles and stringing a 138,000-volt power line from the East Springfield substation that will connect to a power lines in London and a substation in Delaware as part of the Springfield-London-Tangy Electricity Transmission Line Project.
The utility line will be constructed in the area around U.S. 40 and Tuttle Road. The majority of the project locally is expected to be completed by year-end. The in-service date for the transmission line, however, is June 1, 2015.
“The project will increase capacity in town and provide for future growth of electric use,” Tim Suter, a FirstEnergy area manager.
Suter discussed First Energy’s plan for the Springfield-London-Tangy Electricity Transmission Line Project with county commissioners in 2012 before the current route of the power line was approved by the Ohio Power Siting Board.
The project, which has initially criticized by Delaware County residents, forced some residents to sell portions of their land.
Mark Durbin, a spokesman for FirstEnergy, said the company has secured easements from most of the property owners along the power line route.
Durbin has said the power line was needed to to meet increased demand for electrical service in the area.
“Without additional transmission capacity, providing reliable electric service to … customers in Delaware, Union, Madison and Clark counties — including Springfield, London, West Jefferson, Plain City and Dublin — will be a growing challenge,” Durbin said after the project was discussed before commissioners.
Durbin said this week that Clark County has seen growth in manufacturing and other areas and the Springfield-London-Tangy Electricity Transmission Line Project will increase capacity and enhance reliability of electricity in the area.
Thank you for reading the Dayton Daily News and for supporting local journalism. Subscribers: log in for access to your daily ePaper and premium newsletters.
Thank you for supporting in-depth local journalism with your subscription to the Dayton Daily News. Get more news when you want it with email newsletters just for subscribers. Sign up here.