Plugging In To Our Future
Need for new transmission line symbolizes our region’s resurgence
Washington Observer-Reporter
David E. Flitman
February 2, 2008
More than a year ago, we began an open dialogue to explain the local need for the Trans-Allegheny Interstate Line (TrAIL), a power transmission project that will ensure reliable electric service in our region.
We planned to build much of this project in southwestern Pennsylvania once before, nearly 30 years ago when Big Steel still reigned and placed a heavy burden on our transmission system. But as heavy industry waned, the imminent need for the project vanished – along with many thousands of local jobs. Many residents and businesses left southwestern Pennsylvania to pursue economic opportunities elsewhere.
I know that some property owners in Greene and Washington counties did not expect that the existing rights-of-way that we purchased for the original project would now be utilized. But, the need for the project has returned.
The reason is simple – our region has staged a comeback. Big Steel may be gone, but southwestern Pennsylvania is on the rise. As a result, experts have determined that new lines are needed to maintain reliable service for our customers today and well into the future. For the past 30 years, our existing transmission system adequately served the region’s demand for power. But the time has come where we can no longer keep pace – and the risk of outages in just a few short years is very real. This time it’s not a few large factories fueling demand for power – it’s a more diversified, technology- and retail-based economy thirsting for electricity.
Specifically, two factors are dictating the need to upgrade our transmission system in southwestern Pennsylvania.
First, Washington County is growing. Pittsburgh’s ever-expanding suburbs are pushing south, as homeowners are lured by lower taxes and ample land for spacious homes and backyards. To support the residential influx, large-scale commercial development continues around the Meadows, including the massive Tanger Outlet Center and Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World. There are many other notable projects in the county, including the expansion of Southpointe; the Strabane Square, Trinity Point and the Foundry developments along the I-70 corridor; growth at California Technology Park; the Zediker Corridor and Consol Energy investments; not to mention the residential boom in Peters and South Strabane Townships.
Secondly, today’s customers use much more electricity now than in the past. Today’s homes are substantially larger than those built in the time of our parents and grandparents. Bigger homes require significantly more energy to heat and cool, and come equipped with more appliances and electronics than ever before. The average home today boasts two or more televisions and one or more computers. Electrical outlets are busy charging cell phones, digital music players, baby monitors and a host of other electronic devices.
So the demand for electricity keeps growing.
Consider this strain on our infrastructure a symbol of progress, a sign that our region is “back in business.”
But TrAIL is more than a sign, it is a necessity. If the 37-mile segment proposed in Greene and Washington counties is not completed, business as usual might not be possible.
That’s because this segment of TrAIL – which will connect our proposed 502 Junction and Prexy substations in Greene and Washington counties – will solely address local reliability concerns. Power transmitted along this segment will flow north into Washington County to serve these growing communities. In fact, a series of new consultant reports prepared for the Virginia State Corporation Commission staff never mention this segment of the line once, because it has nothing do with the movement of electricity to the East. Approximately 98 percent of the TrAIL infrastructure proposed in Pennsylvania – all but about one mile of the route near the West Virginia border – will address local reliability needs.
Some TrAIL opponents wrongly suggest that we can avoid building this project through energy conservation alone. We fully support energy conservation, and the company is working hard on new programs that will help customers use energy more efficiently. But these measures are largely voluntary, and more importantly, they take time to implement and even more time to produce results. A recent study by the Edison Foundation states that despite conservation efforts, “the reality is that our nation’s appetite for electricity continues to grow, and electric utilities must be able to make the necessary investments to meet this growing demand.”
Our region is poised for even greater prosperity. This project will directly support that growth. Like a well-designed network of roadways, electric infrastructure is vital to communities eager to woo new industries, attract residents and offer the highest quality of life. As an important member of the community, Allegheny remains as committed as ever to providing affordable, reliable power to its customers.
David Flitman is president of Allegheny Energy’s Trans-Allegheny Interstate Line Company and Allegheny Power subsidiaries. For more information about TrAIL, visit the project website at www.aptrailinfo.com.
