Segment 2 - Stanton to Lackawanna
(13.4 miles) -- From the Stanton Substation in Exeter Township, Luzerne County, to the Lackawanna Substation in Blakely, Lackawanna County.

In this segment, the Susquehanna-Roseland power line will be built parallel to the existing 230-kilovolt line. New, 500-kilovolt power line structures will be built on the west side of the existing line.

Currently, there is a 150-foot cleared right of way for the existing 230-kilovolt line. An additional 175 feet of right of way, which PPL Electric Utilities already owns, will be cleared for the new 500-kilovolt structures. The result will be a combined 325-foot right of way for the two power lines.

During construction, vegetation on the right of way will be cleared as needed for construction work, and to provide enough clearance for the line. After the line is built, low-growing vegetation will be allowed to return, but tall trees and other species that could interfere with the line will not be permitted to grow.

The Lackawanna Substation will be expanded as part of the Susquehanna-Roseland project, resulting in significant benefits for electric customers in the region of the substation.

Lackawanna Substation Expansion

As part of the Susquehanna-Roseland power line project, PPL Electric Utilities will upgrade the Lackawanna Substation in the borough of Blakely.

The upgrade will have significant benefits for electric customers in the region of the substation. It will improve the reliability of electric service by helping to meet the growing demand for electricity in the area.

Specifically, it will provide “voltage support,” meaning it will help prevent voltage problems that could occur under peak conditions when demand for electricity is high.

PPL Electric Utilities’ forecasts show that in the future, as customer demand continues to grow in the area, there could be low-voltage problems in the event of unplanned outages of power lines or substations in the area.

This substation expansion will address those concerns and help make the electric system more reliable for customers in the area.

These benefits to local electric customers are an added advantage of choosing this route for the Susquehanna-Roseland power line.

Details of the work:

All substation work will be done on land that PPL Electric Utilities already owns.

PPL Electric Utilities will offer to work with residents who live in the area to keep them informed of construction work, and to help minimize any impact during this temporary construction period.

The existing substation converts 230-kilovolt power to lower voltages for use by customers in the area. It will be expanded to add transformers that will step down 500-kilovolt power from the Susquehanna-Roseland line to lower voltages for regional use.

The existing “footprint” of the substation – the fenced-in area – is 195,000 square feet. The new footprint will be about 595,000 square feet.

The new substation equipment will be slightly taller. Currently some equipment is 81 feet tall. Some of the new equipment will be about 95 feet tall.

Construction of the new parts of the substation will take about 18 months. We have not yet determined when construction will begin, but it would not start before late 2009.