AEP Ohio, a unit of American Electric Power (NYSE: AEP), is working across its service territory to strengthen its electric system and improve service reliability for customers. Several current projects will benefit the company’s customers in Fairfield and Hocking counties.
“Our job is to keep the lights on, and we take this very seriously,” says Selwyn Dias, vice president of AEP Ohio distribution operations. “The projects in Fairfield and Hocking counties are part of the planned and strategic work we do every year. Our regular maintenance and repair helps us keep our grid reliable. Our strategic work allows us to do our regular work and also expand our system to serve new customers and support economic development. These things work together to improve service for our customers.”
In the company’s Lancaster service area, work is being done or planned:
- around the city of Lancaster;
- in Pleasantville around 1st, Foster, Main and Columbus streets, as well as along a portion of Thorn Road;
- throughout the Village of Thurston;
- in Baltimore along West Washington and West Walnut streets;
- in the Bremen Road area in the eastern part of the county;
- near Sugar Grove;
- near Rockbridge; and
- in the Logan area.
Southeastern Ohio’s beautiful but rugged rolling and forested rural terrain creates service reliability challenges for AEP Ohio and for its customers. AEP Ohio is working to lessen the effect this has for customers near Sugar Grove and Rockbridge.
Plans include moving a line to make it easier for crews to access. This will allow for quicker restoration when outages happen. In addition, lines, poles and other equipment are being replaced where needed. Benefits to moving the line will be fewer outages caused by trees touching lines and pole fires when older equipment fails.
“The work we’re doing helps us continue to strengthen our system and improve service for our customers,” said Tim Seyfang, manager distribution system for AEP Ohio’s Athens District, which includes Fairfield and Hocking counties. “We greatly appreciate everyone’s patience as we work to make these improvements.”
AEP Ohio expects to invest more than $2 million on these local projects, with work to continue into 2017.
Across Ohio – including Fairfield and Hocking counties – AEP Ohio is:
- inspecting lines and equipment;
- replacing overhead lines;
- replacing poles and line equipment;
- relocating lines for better access;
- creating ties to other circuits to allow for quicker restoration when an outage happens; and
- trimming and clearing trees.
