Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, September 29, 1994 TAG: 9409290056
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: B-8 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RICHARD FOSTER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Service would be upgraded for more than 5,500 Apco customers in a 300-square mile area south of Smith Mountain Lake in the Penhook and Gladehill areas.
The new station in Franklin County will be located in Penhook on Va. 779 , near the Pittsylvania County line and about a half-mile north of Va. 40.
"That's a pretty high-growth area," said Don Johnson, spokesman for the Roanoke-based utility. "We are continually upgrading areas like it because of growth."
Apco said it plans to build a 6.5-mile 138-kilovolt line connecting the Penhook station with its existing Smith Mountain Lake dam power station, which also will receive improvements.
Though most of the power line would run south of Smith Mountain over undeveloped Apco-owned land in Pittsylvania County, it would also cross private land in Pittsylvania, Franklin and Bedford counties. The line would pass over developed areas west of Va. 626 in Pittsylvania and Franklin.
Almost six miles of the 6.5-mile Penhook power line is to run through areas serviced by the Mecklenberg and Southside electrial cooperatives, though the line will benefit only Apco customers. Because of that, the line's proposed route must be approved by the State Corporation Commission before it can be built.
Usually SCC approval is required only for power lines with capacity to carry 150 kilovolts or more.
Local residents have until Oct. 28 to request a public hearing from the SCC about the power line. Neither the Mecklenberg nor Southside electrical cooperative opposes the power-line route.
Apco said it expects the Penhook station to be running by 1996.
A first phase of the $5.9 million improvements project was begun earlier this year, when the company updated equipment and power lines at a station in Gladehill. Other forthcoming improvements include 3.5 miles of new power lines and upgrades to 18 miles of existing power lines in Penhook and Gladehill.
by CNB