State OKs large Appalachian Power transmission project

State regulators have authorized Appalachian Power to upgrade electricity transmission infrastructure in four Southside and Southwest Virginia counties.

The three-phase, $423.5 million Stuart Area Improvements Project is designed to replace aging equipment with a more reliable system by building 25 miles of new 138-kilovolt transmission line and upgrading 48 miles of line in Carroll, Floyd, Henry and Patrick counties, as well as retiring 20 miles of line in Franklin County once the upgrades are complete.

Appalachian submitted its application to the State Corporation Commission in July 2023. After a review process that included public meetings and input from transportation and environmental agencies, the SCC approved the project on Monday.

Appalachian anticipates beginning construction on the first phase of the project in fall 2026 and expects the entire project to be in service in 2031.

With more than 540,000 customers in Western Virginia, Appalachian Power is the state’s second-largest electric utility.

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