Pioneer Transmission, the joint venture of Duke Energy and American Electric Power (AEP) and Northern Indiana Public Service Company (NIPSCO) has completed a 115.8km transmission line connecting Greentown Station near Kokomo to the Reynolds Station in Reynolds in the state.
Image: Transmission line. Photo: Courtesy of Duke Energy Corporation.
Work on the Greentown-Reynolds project began in 2013 and included upgrades to the Reynolds Station in addition to the new extra-high voltage 765-kilovolt (kV) transmission line.
Duke Energy Transmission president Chris Fallon said: “With the Pioneer project, we are making significant improvements to the energy delivery system for customers in Indiana and beyond, creating a more efficient link between the region’s power plants and allowing for the integration of renewables and other new technologies on the grid.”
The project is claimed to be one of the 17 priority Multi-Value Projects (MVPs) identified by the Midcontinent Independent System Operator, which controls and operates the transmission grid for all or parts of 15 Midwest states, including Indiana, and the Canadian province of Manitoba.
These projects together offer regional electricity reliability, broaden access to renewable energy and help in ensuring that customers have access to affordable energy. The cost of the Greentown-Reynolds line and substation upgrades was $347m.
This project is the first phase of Pioneer Transmission’s 290-mile (466.7km) plan to connect Duke Energy’s Greentown Station to AEP’s Rockport Station east of Evansville, Indiana.
AEP Transmission executive vice president Lisa Barton said: “This collaborative project with AEP, Duke and NIPSCO strengthens the reliability of the energy system for customers and provides a new pathway for delivering renewable energy, such as wind power, to all customers in the region.”
Pioneer Transmission is formed to build and operate approximately 290 miles (466.7km) of 765-kilovolt (kV) transmission lines and related facilities in Indiana.