ROANOKE, Va., March 30, 2011 – Appalachian Power will begin work next week to further upgrade part of its underground electricity distribution network in downtown Roanoke.
     
The company will upgrade an underground transformer vault located in front of the Roanoke Public Library on Jefferson St.   Work is scheduled to begin Monday, April 4 and is projected to be completed before May 1.

Most of the work by Appalachian and its contract crews will occur during daylight hours on weekdays and overnight if required.

The outside northbound lane of Jefferson St., between Elm and Bullitt Avenues, will be closed for the duration of the project.
           
Pedestrians and motorists should be aware of caution signs and other safety warnings during the project.
           
No interruption of downtown electric service is planned or anticipated.
           
Appalachian Power provides electricity to 1 million customers in Virginia, West Virginia and Tennessee. It is a unit of American Electric Power (NYSE: AEP), one of the largest electric utilities in the United States. AEP ranks among the nation’s largest generators of electricity, owning nearly 38,000 megawatts of generating capacity in the U.S. AEP also owns the nation’s largest electricity transmission system. 
 
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