The Ohio Power Siting Board on Monday authorized American Electric Power-Ohio (AEP-Ohio) to construct a 138-kV electric transmission line in Franklin County. The transmission line will run six miles from the Roberts Substation on Scioto and Darby Creek Road east to The Ohio State University (OSU) campus.

AEP-Ohio plans to begin construction in October 2009 and enter the line into service by March 2010 at a cost of approximately $30 million. The new transmission line will improve reliability and provide additional electricity capacity for customers in the northwest Columbus area. AEP-Ohio estimates that the line will generate $3.8 million in annual property taxes for local governments.

On Dec. 30, 2008, AEP-Ohio filed an application for a certificate of environmental compatibility and public need to construct the Roberts-OSU transmission line. On June 29, 2009, following review of the company’s application, OPSB staff filed a report recommending that the Board authorize construction of the transmission line along the company’s preferred route. At a local public hearing held on July 14, 2009, six witnesses testified about the proposed line.

On July 17, 2009, AEP-Ohio, the OPSB staff and the city of Upper Arlington filed an agreement that settled concerns raised in the proceeding. The agreement, approved by the Board today, authorizes construction of the transmission line along the preferred route subject to 24 conditions that the company must meet to remediate the environmental and social impacts of the project.

The OPSB reviews applications for construction of large electric and natural gas facilities in Ohio. The 11-member board comprises  representatives of the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO), the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, the state departments of Development, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Health, the Ohio General Assembly and the public. The chairman of the PUCO also chairs the OPSB.