ROANOKE, Va. (WFXR) – Appalachian Power representatives are seeking approval for the Central Virginia Transmission Reliability Project – an investment to upgrade the electric transmission network service customers in five counties in Central Virginia.
The project involves replacing 46-kV equipment from the 1920s and 69-kV equipment from the 1940s with a more modern system.
The project also provides a new 138-kV electrical source for the region. These upgrades will increase the reliability of electric service for customers as well as support the retirement of aging equipment.
Over the next few year, the project involves four phases:
- Joshua Falls – Gladstone Phase will build approximately 17 miles of transmission line in Amherst, Appomattox, Campbell and Nelson Counties. Company representatives selected the line route after four in-person open houses and more than a year of field studies. The proposed line route begins at the Joshua Falls Substation in Campbell County. The route travels northeast through Appomattox County for 11 miles, crossing the James River and continuing through Amherst and Nelson Counties for six miles before ending at the Gladstone Substation located off Highway 60 near the community of Five Forks. This phase also involves expanding three electrical substations in the area.
- The Amherst-Reusens Phase involves rebuilding approximately 12 miles of transmission line in or near the existing right-of-way in Amherst County. The route for this proposed upgrade begins at the Amherst Substation located off Route 60 southeast of Amherst and travels southwest for about eight miles. From there, it crosses through the Monroe Substation off South Amherst Highway and continues for about four miles before crossing the James River and ending at the Reusens Substation in northern Lynchburg. Plans also involve expanding the Amherst and Monroe substations.
- The Shipman-Schuyler Phase involves building two substations and approximately 1,000 feet of transmission line in Nelson County. This project allows crews to retire two existing substations in the towns of Shipman and Schuyler and retire approximately 38 miles of transmission line in the area.
- Esmont-Scottsville Phase will move forward at a later date. In the meantime, company representatives plan to seek local approval from Albemarle County officials for this phase of the project.
For more information about the project, click here.
