Progress Energy Carolinas is committed to providing safe, reliable and affordable energy to our customers. Past and expected growth in the Laurinburg/Lumberton area has prompted the need for a regional transmission system enhancement. To ensure the continued reliability of the transmission system that serves this area, Progress Energy Carolinas will invest an estimated $5.9 million to build a new 115-kiloVolt (kV) electric transmission line and make improvements to the Laurinburg and Pilkington substations located in the southern portion of Scotland County.

Progress Energy's continuous assessment of electric system needs indicates that by 2007, under certain circumstances, there would be voltage and reliability issues on the electric transmission system that serves the area. The project will provide a second means of meeting customer demand if existing facilities are off-line for any reason. The project also will increase the capacity of the existing 115-kV line between Progress Energy's Laurinburg 230-kV substation (13900 Dixie Guano Road) and the Pilkington 115-kV substation (12501 Patterson Road).

Project Description

The project involves installing approximately 2.6 miles of new 115-kV conductor. The new conductor will be suspended on new single-pole structures. Structures are typically spaced 400-700 feet apart. Pole heights vary, but a typical pole height for this type of project is 70-100 feet above ground. The new line will be built on 70-foot-wide property easements. Easement requirements might vary in some areas, depending on existing facilities or other factors.

The right-of-way was acquired between March-October 2006. Clearing has begun and construction of the line will be done in 2007. The project is expected to be in service by mid-2007. As with all projects of this sort, construction schedules are subject to change based on a variety of factors.

Benefits to the Community

• The new line and facilities will ensure more flexibility and redundant systems for providing critical electric transmission to the area.
  
  
• The electric system must keep pace with growth to ensure a continuous, reliable flow of electricity to homes and businesses. In addition to building new power plants, PEC must enhance the transmission and distribution systems to help ensure a continuous, reliable flow of electricity to homes and businesses in the region. This project is one of several major transmission system upgrades under way or planned over the next several years (at a cost of more than $200 million) to benefit PEC's customers.
  
  
• Without the transmission system upgrades, this area could be exposed to extended power outages in the near future, potentially creating the types of electric system concerns that have plagued other parts of the country in recent years.
  
  
• Electricity is far too important for our customers to risk service interruptions or problems with power quality due to inadequate facilities. PEC and the N.C. Utilities Commission have an obligation to ensure that the electric system is maintained and upgraded appropriately.

Land Acquisition

Progress Energy has acquired easements for the project from property owners. The project requires new rights of way 70 feet wide, plus rights to remove or cut back danger trees and install guy wires outside the right-of-way corridor. Easements permit construction and maintenance of the line. Property owners retain ownership with some restrictions on land use. (A danger tree is any tree, on or off the right of way, that could fall into the line, interrupting service.)

Public Participation

Progress Energy believes public participation is critical to the success of the project. Among other communication initiatives, the company held a meeting for the public Thursday, Sept. 8, 2005, at Scotland Place (1210 Turnpike Road in Laurinburg), to provide information on the scope and schedule of the project and to gather pertinent information from property owners and others on property characteristics. It followed an open-house format, allowing participants to come and go as they please and get answers to specific questions. Participants were asked to rate routing options based on the assessment criteria most important to them. Progress Energy also communicated directly with impacted property owners and others.

Schedule

Public announcement: Aug. 25, 2005
Information meeting: Sept. 8, 2005
Survey and mapping begins: 2006
Right-of-way acquisition: 2006
Clearing and line construction: 2006
Project in service: mid-2007