Duke Energy has notified residents of Polk County and neighboring Spartanburg County, SC that their property may potentially fall within 500 feet of a proposed 230kv transmission line project. Residents in the effected areas were sent notifications by mail just prior to the July 4th holiday.
The proposed transmission line would link the Asheville power plant, located in Skyland, to a new substation near Campobello, SC. According to a press release sent out by Heather Freeman Media, the path of the transmission line could lead to the seizure of private property and land easements along the 45 mile projected path, which roughly follows the Pacolet River in southern Polk County.
A map of the project study area provided by Duke Energy on their website extends from Columbus, NC and Tryon northwest through Flat Rock, Hendersonville, and Fletcher.
The proposed line is part of Duke Energy’s Western Carolinas Modernization Project, which seeks to upgrade the power grid capacity in western North and South Carolina to meet growing consumer demands.
According to Duke’s official webpage on the project, power usage in the Asheville area has doubled in the past four decades. Duke says current projections expect demand for electricity to jump an additional 15 percent around Asheville in the next decade.
Major construction of the line is estimated to begin between 2017-2019, with a overall completion date scheduled for some time in 2020.
Duke representatives will hold three public meetings later this month to discuss plans for the transmission line and address questions and concerns from the media and residents. The first meeting will be held at 4 p.m. on July 14 at the Western North Carolina Agricultural Center in Fletcher, NC.
Subsequent public meetings will be held Tuesday, July 21 at 4 p.m. at the Landrum Middle School Gymnasium in Landrum, SC, and Thursday, July 23 at 4 p.m. at Blue Ridge Community College in Flat Rock, NC.
For more information on the upcoming community meetings, see the press release below. To learn more about Duke Energy’s Western Carolinas Modernization Project, check out duke-energy.com/western-carolinas-modernization/.
Press Release
Duke Energy notifies residents in Spartanburg County, SC and Polk County, NC along the conservation areas and easements of the Pacolet River area of three public hearing for 230kv transmission line project.
Spartanburg, SC, (July 6, 2015)-Just before the July 4th holiday, Duke Energy sent out a mailing to area residents of northern Spartanburg County and adjacent Polk County, NC that their property potentially falls within 500 feet of the center of a proposed 230kv transmission line project. The Duke Energy transmission reliability enhancement project is connecting a proposed new transmission substation near Campobello, SC to the Asheville power plant seizing properties and potentially conservation areas along a 45-mile path.
Three public open house meetings are scheduled with Duke Energy representatives and members of the media and homeowners are encouraged to come learn the breaking news that will change the face of this area forever.
Tuesday, July 14, 2015 between 4pm and 7pm
Western North Carolina Ag Center
Boone Mountain Heritage Building
1301 Fanning Bridge Rd, Fletcher NC
Tuesday, July 21, 2015 between 4pm and 7pm
Landrum Middle School Gymnasium
104 Redland Rd.
Landrum, SC
Thursday, July 23, 2015 between 4pm and 7pm
Blue Ridge Community College
Henderson County Campus
Technology Education and Development Center, Blue Ridge Conference Hall
180 W. Campus Dr. Flat Rock, NC
Duke Energy Western Carolinas Modernization Project:
http://www.duke-energy.com/western-carolinas-modernization/
Project Study Area: http://www.duke-energy.com/pdfs/wcmp-study-area.pdf
For questions related to the Western Carolinas Modernization Project work, call 800.820.9359 or email WCModernization@duke-energy.com.
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