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Milton area power line route finalized

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A new power line will affect 16 property owners in Harmony and Milton townships.

American Transmission Co. and Rock Energy Cooperative announced the new route this week after months of consideration and meetings with stakeholders.

The companies plan to build the 69-kilovolt, $5.3 million line to serve the new substation near Harmony-Milton Townline Road and County M. The substation and new line are part of an effort to maintain reliable service to the Milton area and prepare for future growth, according to an ATC news release.

The new line will run 4 miles just south of the city of Milton, going south from the LaMar Substation along Breezy Drive, west along Harmony-Milton Townline Road and the proposed Highway 26 realignment and southwest along the old County M.

Route neighbors were notified last week about the decision, said Jon Callaway, ATC local relations representative.

ATC will attempt to buy easements from property owners in spring, he said. Typically, 69-kilovolt lines need about 80 feet of easement—40 feet on either side of the line.

The company also has to obtain permits, survey the land, and conduct environmental and archeological reviews, the release says.

The company hopes to start construction of the line in September and finish by December to coincide with completion of the new Red Hawk Substation, Callaway said.