The past two winters have strained the aging Glade Hill substation’s capabilities, a problem Appalachian Power Co. says will be alleviated with construction of a new substation in Franklin County.
Appalachian announced its plans for the new Redwood substation on Thursday, as well as its intent to replace four miles of transmission lines.
The projects will make service more reliable for customers and “bolster” service around Smith Mountain Lake and Rocky Mount in anticipation of future economic development, spokesman John Shepelwich wrote in an email.
“We saw some issues for the last couple of winters that were a little foreboding for future winter peaks there,” Shepelwich wrote.
The Glade Hill substation is 60 years old. It will be closed after the Redwood station is up and running.
