FORT WAYNE, Ind. – Indiana Michigan Power (I&M) officials plan an approximate $43 million investment to upgrade the electric transmission network serving the Whitley County area in northeast Indiana.
The Whitley County Transmission Line Rebuild Project involves upgrading about 15 miles of 69-kilovolt transmission line and rebuilding a substation near the intersection of County Road 400 and South 150 East. Company representatives plan to rebuild the power line in the existing right-of-way, although they might need to widen the right-of-way in some areas.
The existing transmission line consists of deteriorating 60-year-old wooden poles that require frequent maintenance. An upgrade to modern steel poles reduces the need for frequent power line maintenance and improves the line's operational performance. The planned substation upgrades also help to reduce the likelihood of larger, sustained community outages.
I&M representatives plan to communicate with directly-involved landowners about what to expect before, during and after construction.
As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and the physical distancing recommendations made by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, I&M and its contractors are limiting in-person visits with landowners during this process to ensure the safety and health of the public and company representatives.
Company representatives expect to begin construction in spring 2022 and conclude by fall 2023. Additional details are available at IndianaMichiganPower.com/WhitleyCounty.
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Indiana Michigan Power (I&M) is headquartered in Fort Wayne, and its approximately 2,100 employees serve more than 599,000 customers. More than two-thirds of its energy delivered in 2019 was emission-free. I&M has at its availability various sources of generation including 2,278 MW of nuclear generation in Michigan, 450 MW of purchased wind generation from Indiana, more than 22 MW of hydro generation in both states and approximately 15 MW of large-scale solar generation in both states. The company’s generation portfolio also includes 2,620 MW of coal-fueled generation in Indiana.
American Electric Power, based in Columbus, Ohio, is focused on building a smarter energy infrastructure and delivering new technologies and custom energy solutions to our customers. AEP’s more than 17,400 employees operate and maintain the nation’s largest electricity transmission system and more than 221,000 miles of distribution lines to efficiently deliver safe, reliable power to nearly 5.5 million regulated customers in 11 states. AEP also is one of the nation’s largest electricity producers with approximately 30,000 megawatts of diverse generating capacity, including more than 5,300 megawatts of renewable energy. AEP’s family of companies includes utilities AEP Ohio, AEP Texas, Appalachian Power (in Virginia and West Virginia), AEP Appalachian Power (in Tennessee), Indiana Michigan Power, Kentucky Power, Public Service Company of Oklahoma, and Southwestern Electric Power Company (in Arkansas, Louisiana and east Texas). AEP also owns AEP Energy, AEP Energy Partners, AEP OnSite Partners and AEP Renewables, which provide innovative competitive energy solutions nationwide. For more information, visit aep.com.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Tracy Warner
Indiana Michigan Power Communications
260-479-9484
tkwarner@aep.com