Background

Current and projected electric load in west Raleigh (the area bounded by I-40, Hillsborough Street, Reedy Creek Road and I-440) continues to grow. Over the last five years, electricity demand in the area has grown at about 5 percent per year, or approximately twice the rate of most of Progress Energy Carolinas' service area.

Within that larger region, the area around the RBC Center has begun to experience commercial development. And with an abundance of vacant land adjacent to the entertainment complex, growth is expected to continue and increase over the next several years. The State of North Carolina, the City of Raleigh and private developers are all proposing development in the area. And the existing substations that serve the area will not have sufficient capacity to serve the future growth and development.

Progress Energy’s continuous assessment of electric system requirements has identified the need for a transmission project – one of several planned in Progress Energy Carolinas' service area – to help ensure a continued reliable supply of electric service to homes and businesses. The company plans to invest about $20 million in building a new electric substation and approximately four-mile long transmission tap line to connect the substation with an existing 230-kiloVolt transmission line.

Electric power is currently supplied to the area from three substations in West Raleigh and Cary. The longer distance between the substation and customers could reduce reliability due to increased exposure of longer lines to weather-related outages. The new transmission line will reduce that exposure because the electric feeder lines serving customers will be shorter. The addition of a new substation and system upgrades will improve power quality and reliability. Blinks and flickers also should be reduced, and in the case of storm-related outages, restoration time should improve.

The 230,000-volt line is expected to be attached to single transmission poles spaced approximately every 500-700 feet. The company also plans to build a new electric substation in the vicinity of Trenton Road west of I-40 in Cary.

The current project schedule calls for the substation and new transmission line to be operational by December 2008.

Project need

• A decade ago, this part of west Raleigh was primarily forest land. Since that time, however, the region has begun to grow at a significant rate – with substantial additional development planned – and the electric system must keep pace. In addition to building new power plants, Progress Energy 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 planned over the next five years to benefit Progress Energy’s North Carolina customers. The company plans to invest about $350 million by 2012 on transmission system projects.

• Without the transmission system upgrades, this rapid-growth area could exceed electric system capability in the near future, potentially creating the types of electric system reliability 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. Progress Energy and the N.C. Utilities Commission have an obligation to ensure that the electric system is maintained and upgraded appropriately.

• High-tech companies and today’s highly electronic homes and businesses need reliable, high-quality electricity. This project is intended to ensure the continuation of a reliable, high-quality flow of electricity in the future.

• The upgrades will enhance system reliability for electricity consumers throughout the region.

Additional benefits

• Maintaining a robust system for supplying and delivering electricity is integral in ensuring the continued economic prosperity of the region.

• The addition of the substation, as well as the transmission line, will improve power quality and reliability in the area. Having a substation closer to the homes and businesses typically means a reduction in the frequency and duration of outages for those consumers.

Schedule

After a comprehensive assessment of more than 100 options and input from governmental agencies and property owners, Progress Energy selected route in April 2004 for the new electric transmission line in west Raleigh. The route connects a planned electric substation (in the vicinity of Trenton Road west of I-40 in Cary) with an existing 230-kV transmission line near Blue Ridge Road and was chosen because it minimizes the impact of the line on homes and natural areas. Acquisition of the transmission line right of way begins in 2004 and is scheduled to continue through much of 2005. Construction of the substation and line will occur in 2008. The line is expected to be in service by December 2008.
 

Selected route
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Permit requirements

The project requires a number of local, state and federal permits and approvals, including environmental and construction permits. Progress Energy will work with local governments and agencies to ensure that the project complements local growth plans. And Progress Energy will comply with all regulatory requirements related to the construction and operation of the facilities..
 

Public participation

Progress Energy believes public participation is critical to the success of the project. Among other communication initiatives, the company held a public information meeting in the area to be served by the transmission facilities. The purpose of the meeting was to provide information on the need, scope and schedule of the project and gather pertinent data from property owners and others on the proposed route. The N.C. Utilities Commission also may hold a public hearing as part of its review process. Progress Energy also will make information available via the Web and will communicate directly with impacted property owners and others.

If you have any questions concerning this project, please call the toll free number 1-800-527-7854 and leave your name and number and a brief message and a company representative will call you back.
 

Land acquisition

Now that a route is selected, Progress Energy land agents will work individually with property owners in purchasing easements for the facilities. The line will require 35 feet of right of way on both sides (70-foot total easement requirement) except where the route parallels roads or follows existing electric distribution lines. In these areas, the new line will mostly use existing Progress Energy right-of-way plus a portion of the right-of-way will overlap the road right-ofway. Progress Energy negotiates individually with property owners for easements, and landowners retain ownership of the property.
 

Overhead versus underground

Progress Energy investigated the possibility of putting the line underground. The reliability of underground transmission lines is a major question across the United States, as relatively few have been constructed. A fault in a buried line, caused by a manufacturing defect or an accidental dig-in, would take much longer to locate and repair than a similar fault in an overhead line. Other adverse factors regarding underground transmission lines are the effects they can have on wetlands and soil erosion and the decreased electrical capacity they can carry.
 

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