Appalachian Power Announces Transmission Upgrade And Public Open House For Henry County, Va

Appalachian Power will host an open house to introduce plans for electric upgrades in Henry County.

The Fieldale-Ridgeway Transmission Line Rebuild Project will upgrade approximately 15 miles of transmission line to improve electric reliability in the area. Improvements include replacing wooden poles from the 1920s with sturdier steel poles.

The company plans to rebuild the power line in or near its existing right-of-way. The existing transmission line begins at the Fieldale Substation along Appalachian Drive and exits the substation to the east. It then travels south, crosses Route 220 at two points and goes through Sheffield Substation off Joseph Martin Highway. The final section of the line travels through Ridgeway Substation on Old Mill Road and concludes at a structure near the Virginia-North Carolina border.

Appalachian Power invites community members and landowners in the project area to learn more at an upcoming open house. The public event takes place Wednesday, Oct. 30, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Magna Vista High School. There’s no formal presentation, attendees can arrive at any time to review maps and talk with project representatives.

“Gathering input from the community plays a vital role in helping us develop the improved line route,” said Amanda Cox, external affairs manager for Appalachian Power. “Landowners and members of the community are encouraged to attend the open house and provide their feedback.”

After the open house, the company will use the information to solidify a proposed line route. Appalachian Power then will seek project approval from the Virginia State Corporation Commission. If approved, construction will begin in fall 2021 and conclude by the end of 2022.

Learn more about the project at www.AppalachianPower.com/Fieldale-Ridgeway.

Appalachian Power has 1 million customers in Virginia, West Virginia and Tennessee (as AEP Appalachian Power). It is a unit of American Electric Power, one of the largest electric companies in the United States. AEP is focused on building a smarter energy infrastructure and delivering new technologies and custom energy solutions to customers. AEP’s more than 18,000 employees operate and maintain the nation’s largest electricity transmission system and more than 219,000 miles of distribution lines to efficiently deliver safe, reliable power to nearly 5.4 million regulated customers in 11 states. AEP also is one of the nation’s largest electricity producers with approximately 32,000 megawatts of diverse generating capacity, including 5,300 megawatts of renewable energy.