Second try for FirstEnergy's Youngstown 138-kV Reinforcement Project - WFMJ
Second try for FirstEnergy's Youngstown 138-kV Reinforcement Project - WFMJ.com
Second try for FirstEnergy's Youngstown 138-kV Reinforcement Project
As a 6-mile power line project created by FirstEnergy was shot down close to 2 years ago by members of the community and ultimately the State's Power Siting Board, an updated proposal is on its way.
"This really is a project that's meant to enhance and strengthen our infrastructure," explained Lauren Siburkis with FirstEnergy. "So that we can support the electrical needs of all of our residents for many years to come."
The updated proposal includes feedback from the community. It also includes new routes that avoid sensitive areas within reach, and reduce impact to property owners.
"The purpose of these meetings is to garner the public's interest and get the feedback that we need," explained Scott Humphrys with FirstEnergy. "From there, we can see where we can make changes, when applicable."
The proposal is to construct a new 138-Kilovolt (kV) transmission line and provide a backup electric source for Riverbend Substation and Lincoln Park Substation. Transmission lines can be considered the "superhighway" of an electrical grid. They generate large amounts of energy which is then moved to where it is needed.
There are four alternative route options within the Riverbend Substation and Lincoln Park Substation. The public can voice their opinions and preferred route throughout the Ohio Power Sitting Board Standard Process.
2022's main concern involved power lines cascading along Wean Park behind the Amphitheater and Covelli Centre. FirstEnergy will now erect the lines behind the tree line, out of sight out of mind.
FirstEnergy explained to 21 News on Wednesday there are two options considered for the power lines top cut through the Wean Park area.
One line would be adjacent to I-680 and would connect over to a common point, just east of Poland Avenue. The other option is a carryover from the original project along Woodland Avenue, which runs along the north side of the road.
“The outpouring concern that we had about the Covelli Centre and Amphitheater, we looked at ways to alleviate that concern," Humphrys said. "So what we did was relocate it to the complete opposite side of the river where we originally had one option."
"This infrastructure wont be in your face," Siburkis explained. "So we're not going to be putting it through open land through parks and recreational areas where people are gathering."
The OPSB is responsible for approving plans to create new energy infrastructure in Ohio.
It is comprised of 13 members which include:
- Public Utilities Commission of Ohio, Chair
- Ohio Environmental Protection Agency
- Ohio Department of Agriculture
- Ohio Department of Development
- Ohio Department of Health
- Ohio Department of Natural Resources
- Public engineer appointed by the governor
- Solar and wind projects (two local community members)
- Four non-voting legislative members
American Transmission Systems, Incorporated (ATSI)- a transmission subsidiary of FirstEnergy will apply and seek a decision from the OTSB.
The process includes pre-application, application, completeness, investigation, hearings, decision, and appeals. This can all take up to or over a year. In addition, permits and authorizations from federal, state, and local agencies will be acquired to complete the project.
Another public information meeting will be held within the next month or two, which will provide public members another opportunity to learn more about the project.
FirstEnergy hopes to apply for the project with the Power Siting Board in the coming year. The public can provide feedback on the project to the OTSB by emailing.
Related Knowledge Center: Offshore wind energy
Over the next decade, U.S. offshore wind power is expected to grow from a single 30-megawatt wind farm off Rhode Island to more than 2,000 MW of capacity along the Atlantic Seaboard. There are contracts for wind power off the coasts of Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, Maryland, New Jersey, Rhode Island, and Virginia.
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory has estimated the United States has over 4,000 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind potential, enough to power the country four times over.
The growth in part being spurred by state solicitations, including in New York, where then-Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) set a commitment of 9,000 MW of offshore wind by 2035, and in Connecticut, where in June 2021, Gov. Ned Lamont (D) signed legislation authorizing the construction of 2,000 MW of offshore wind by 2030.
The offshore development is also being driven by an investment tax credit set to end in December 2019 and is equal to 12 percent of expenditures. U.S. Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Tom Carper (D-Del.) have introduced a bill to extend the tax credit for up to eight years.
The Interior Department has held eight competitive lease sales that resulted in 15 offshore wind leases over 1.7 million acres that has the potential for 21 GW of capacity. In February 2022, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management completed a bidding process that realized $4.37 billion for 488,000 acres across six lease areas in federal waters off New York and New Jersey.
Projects have also been proposed off the Southeast coast, off California and Hawaii, and for the Great Lakes.