AEP Texas Upgrading San Angelo's Power Grid This Summer

SAN ANGELO, TX – AEP Texas plans to invest approximately $65 million in San Angelo and the surrounding area to enhance local electric service reliability by rebuilding three 69-kilovolt transmission lines.

According to AEP External Affairs Manager Fred Hernandez, the improvements are expected to reduce the likelihood of transmission power outages and allow faster power restoration when a transmission outage happens.

Current projects AEP Texas is working on in the San Angelo area include:

1. College Hills – Grape Creek transmission line: 10 Miles
2. Concho – Miles transmission line: 17 miles
3. Concho – Live Oak transmission line: 40 miles

Tree trimming and other construction activities along the College Hills – Grape Creek transmission line are scheduled to begin early July. Construction will then start in late summer at the College Hills Substation near Sherwood Way. Crews will work on the line heading northwest to the proposed location of the new Burma Substation, just southwest of Grape Creek. Construction is expected to be completed by the end of 2018.

Construction activities for the Concho-Miles transmission line are scheduled to begin mid-2019 and be completed by the end of 2019.

Construction to rebuild the Concho – Live Oak transmission line began early this and is scheduled to be complete by next summer.

AEP Texas representatives are meeting with property owners along the College Hills – Grape Creek line route to discuss construction activities and restoration process. The transmission line will be rebuilt within company-owned easements and property, and in some areas additional easements may be necessary.

“We are committed to working with residents in and around San Angelo to ensure clear communication throughout the process,” said Hernandez.  These are community infrastructure improvement projects and will involve an estimated $65 million investment, which will support continued growth and economic development in our area for years to come.

“These infrastructure improvements are critical to the long term reliability and safety of the electric system,” Hernandez continued. “AEP Texas will work to minimize the impacts during construction for landowners and the community.”

AEP Texas serves nearly one million electric meters in the deregulated Texas marketplace. As an energy delivery (wires) company, AEP Texas delivers electricity safely and reliably to homes, businesses and industry across its nearly 100,000 square mile service territory in south and west Texas. AEP Texas also builds new power lines, restores service following outages and reads the meters via advanced meter technology for retail electric providers (REPs) throughout its service territory. The company also connects or disconnects service upon the orders of the REPs.