The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) has approved construction of a 1.2-mile segment of Trans-Allegheny Interstate Line Co.'s (TrAILCo) 500 kV transmission project in Pennsylvania.
The 1.2-mile segment will extend south from the new 502 Junction substation in Greene County to the West Virginia border. This segment is the starting point of the Trans-Allegheny Interstate Line (TrAIL), a 215-mile project that will traverse parts of West Virginia and extend into northern Virginia.
‘The construction of this line is essential to ensure the reliable flow of electricity throughout the region,’ says Paul. J. Evanson, chairman, president and CEO of Allegheny Energy, the parent company of TrAILCo. ‘We will work diligently to complete the project on budget and on schedule.’
As requested by TrAILCo, the PUC has deferred its decision on a proposed 36-mile segment of the line extending north from the 502 Junction substation into central Washington County. This section was designed to address local reliability issues. TrAILCo will now enter into a collaborative process to identify potential alternatives to resolve local reliability issues anticipated to occur in Washington County by 2009. The PUC also approved a related settlement agreement between TrAILCo and Greene County that was proposed in the collaborative process.
The Virginia State Corporation Commission and the Public Service Commission of West Virginia earlier authorized construction of TrAIL, pending approval in Pennsylvania. The Pennsylvania Commission will issue a final order at a later date.
TrAILCo will continue its pre-construction activities, such as right-of-way acquisition, permitting and engineering activities, in all three states. The construction phase will last about two-and-a-half years, with TrAIL targeted for completion by June 2011.
SOURCE: Allegheny Energy Inc.
