ASHLAND, Ky. (Aug. 14, 2017) – Kentucky Power on Monday announced the Eastern Kentucky Transmission Program to strengthen and upgrade the regional power grid over five to seven years to better service customers.
The first of several projects under the multi-million dollar program is a $30 million improvement. The Hazard-Wooton Project will generate combined annual tax revenue of about $270,000 for the city of Hazard and Perry and Leslie counties. The project includes rebuilding 7 miles of existing 161-kilovolt (kV) transmission line and making upgrades to additional transmission facilities. The work will reduce the likelihood of outages and decrease restoration times.
Other Eastern Kentucky Transmission Program projects will replace aging equipment to ensure continued reliable electric service for customers. Work will take place in Bell, Clay, Knox, Leslie and Perry counties and is expected to happen in several stages. Each project will be announced to the public prior to any field work.
“These transmission projects represent a significant investment in eastern Kentucky and will improve reliability for our customers,” said Kentucky Power President and COO Matt Satterwhite. “The projects show how we are modernizing our power delivery infrastructure and supporting our commitment to provide our customers with safe and reliable electrical service.”
The company will host an open house to provide details about the Hazard-Wooton project to the public and affected landowners. The open house is scheduled for Thursday, August 24 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., at the Hazard Community and Technical College at One Community College Drive in Hazard. Visitors may come any time during the open house to learn about project details, view maps of proposed routes and speak with company representatives.
“This open house provides customers an opportunity to be involved in our process by providing us feedback on our preliminary route,” Satterwhite said.
The transmission line to be rebuilt starts at the company’s substation on East Main Street and continues west through Hazard along the ridge just north of Hazard High School. The line then continues southwest out of Hazard and connects with the substation on Wooton Creek Road. The majority of the line will be rebuilt within or adjacent to existing right-of-way. Kentucky Power plans to file for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity with the Kentucky Public Service Commission later this fall. Project information is posted at www.KentuckyPower.com/EKTP.
Kentucky Power, based in Ashland, provides electric service to about 168,000 customers in 20 eastern Kentucky counties. It is an operating company of American Electric Power.
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