AEP proposes transmission line projecct

Submitted information

AEP Ohio Transmission Company, Inc. has submitted a Letter of Notification to the Ohio Power Siting Board (OPSB) for the proposed Van Wert–Haviland 138 kilovolt (kV) Transmission Line Project. The $45 million investment will rebuild and upgrade approximately 10.9 miles of existing transmission infrastructure in Paulding and Van Wert counties to ensure reliable service and support future economic development.

The project will replace aging wooden poles from 1926 with modern steel monopoles and rebuild the existing 69 kV line as a double-circuit line designed for 138 kV (initially operated at 69 kV). About 8.7 miles of the line will follow the current right-of-way, while 2.2 miles will shift to a new corridor to reduce environmental and residential impacts.

Key benefits

• Resolves baseline thermal violations identified by PJM in its 2026 Regional Transmission Expansion Plan.
• Improves reliability for approximately 416 customers historically affected by outages.
• Provides capacity to serve new industrial and commercial load at the Van Wert Mega Site, an Ohio Jobs Ready Certified site that has seen high demand for service.
• Ensures compliance with modern safety and structural standards.

Construction is expected to begin in December 2025 with an anticipated in-service date of December 2026. AEP Ohio will notify landowners directly, publish public notices in local newspapers, and maintain project information online at www.aeptransmission.com/ohio.