Published: April 25, 2008 11:41 pm         

TrAIL: Necessity or bad deal for state?

Proposed multistate power line remains in regulatory approval process

FAIRMONT — The proposed Trans-Allegheny Interstate Line (TrAIL) “is still in the regulatory approval process,” and persons continue to voice their opposition to the project.

“This controversial project is more procedurally confusing as it progresses,” Marion County property owner Barbara Grigg said.

“I just want to see the public thoroughly informed. The legal process for this should be streamlined and simplified, and then thoroughly advertised. Government entities, the power companies, and the media all share in that responsibility.”

TrAIL, a 500-kilovolt electric transmission line, would transmit power long distances, connecting electric substations in southwestern Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Virginia.

Allegheny Power owns the transmission lines in its service area. But PJM Interconnection, a regional transmission organization, manages the electric transmission system in the country’s mid-Atlantic region, which includes West Virginia and Allegheny Power.

Through studies and analysis, PJM identified reliability issues and determined that a new electric transline was needed to support the combined load of electricity.

Allen Staggers, manager of corporate communications for Allegheny Power, said PJM reported that the existing lines are close to being operated at their capacity. The power lines are expected to be overloaded as early as 2011, which would result in loss of service to customers, he said.

In March 2007, Allegheny Power submitted an application to the West Virginia Public Service Commission and identified a proposed route. Since then, the PSC has conducted public hearings and evidentiary hearings on the matter and some additional briefs have been filed, Staggers said.

The initial proposed route starts in Pennsylvania at a new substation near Mount Morris, travels north into Washington, Pa., and ends there. Another section of the line runs south, cutting across Monongalia and Preston counties. It also crosses parts of Tucker, Grant, Hampshire and Hardy counties.

In the summer of 2007, the Consumer Advocate Division filed a motion with the PSC asking that Allegheny explore the possibility of paralleling a portion of existing lines that run south out of Monongalia County. The PSC approved the motion, and Allegheny performed a study of an alternate route and submitted a report.

The alternate route, called the Grafton Area Route, follows the proposed route to the southern part of Monongalia County and parallels the existing transline that goes to a substation in Pruntytown. It runs through Marion, Taylor and Preston counties and then continues on the proposed route.

Staggers said the line would go through the eastern part of Marion County.

“This probably has the biggest impact to Marion County,” he said of the route modifications.

Last week, Allegheny — through its subsidiary TrAILCo that will build the project — filed a settlement agreement with the Consumer Advocate Division, the PSC, and the West Virginia Energy Users Group concerning the planned power line. Staggers said the parties got together and tried to resolve any of the outstanding issues presented in each of their cases.

“The main point of last week’s agreement was that all the parties agreed that TrAIL was needed for reliability,” Staggers said. “The essence of it is that through this agreement the other parties agreed to support the need for the line.”

The rerouting of the line near Morgantown was agreed to in the settlement, and several other conditions were also established. For instance, Allegheny will not seek recovery for the project’s transmission charges until 2013, which means West Virginia customers will not be charged for the project up until that point, Staggers said.

The company will also contribute $1 million annually to energy conservation programs and assistance programs for low-income customers. In addition, Allegheny will construct a new $50 million headquarters for its transmission business somewhere in North Central West Virginia that would employ 150 personnel.

Also part of the agreement, if anyone has a home within 400 feet of the transmission line and doesn’t wish to continue living there, he or she has the option to sell the property to Allegheny, Staggers said.

He said the power line will cover about 120 miles in West Virginia and will affect around 500 different land owners across the state. The original proposed route passes within 250 feet of three residences and within 500 feet of 44 houses. For the Grafton Area Route, 21 homes are within 250 feet of the line and 75 are within 500 feet.

“There are more homes closer to the line if the Grafton route is chosen than there would have been with our proposed route,” Staggers said.

The agreement that was filed last week still has to be accepted by the PSC, which must issue an order on the application. The commission was originally supposed to render a decision on Allegheny’s application by May 2, but that decision has been postponed until Aug. 2.

Staggers said a hearing will most likely be held on the issue before that date. The route selected is also in the hands of the PSC.

Don Corwin, president of the Halleck Community Association, said the power line is unnecessary and won’t provide any significant economic benefits.

“The facts remain,” Corwin said. “West Virginia does not need this power line. It does not strengthen the power grid in West Virginia.”

The original proposed TrAIL route passes through the community of Halleck, located in southern Monongalia county. Corwin said the Halleck Community Association formed when the citizens “learned that this power line was going through the very heart of our community.”

This local grassroots group, which represents the Halleck community and people who live nearby, is trying to get the word out about the power line project and inform residents.

Persons from Monongalia, Marion and Taylor counties have attended the meetings. This small group of people works with other organizations outside of the area to fight the power line and tries to keep www.notowersinwv.org up to date, Corwin said.

“Our position is that this power line is a very bad deal for West Virginia, not just for our community,” he said. “We don’t feel that West Virginians should have to surrender their property rights.”

“We have this right of private property ownership, and that right is going to be undermined by this agreement. If you don’t want to sell, Allegheny is going to have to take it. This power line is the first of many more to come. This is the test case for West Virginia.”

E-mail Jessica Legge at jlegge@timeswv.com.

     

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