GAHANNA, Ohio — AEP Ohio will make upgrades to the power grid across several southern Ohio counties. The company plans to complete work that will make additional sources of power available to Pike, Scioto, and Lawrence counties. The Hanging Rock-Baku 765 kV Transmission Line is needed to serve a data center campus planned for the site of the former gaseous diffusion plant in Piketon, Ohio. The customer is committed to paying for the transmission investments needed to serve the site to help avoid increases to transmission rates for Ohio residents.
The project involves connecting the Hanging Rock Substation in Lawrence County and the proposed Baku Substation in Pike County by:
- Building approximately 33 miles of 765-kilovolt (kV) transmission line.
- Rebuilding approximately 7 miles of existing 765-kV transmission line.
- Relocating and rebuilding approximately 3 miles of existing transmission line.
Communities in the project areas benefit from tax revenues generated from construction, job creation, and an increase in available electric capacity. Additional electric capacity also creates opportunities for growth and community development in southern Ohio.
AEP Ohio representatives have encouraged landowners to provide input to help the company determine a final proposed power line route that minimizes impacts to the community and environment. The project requires approval from the Ohio Power Siting Board.
Community members were invited to attend public information meetings to learn more about the project and provide input on study segments under consideration for the proposed transmission line route. Study segments are potential route options used to help identify a final proposed route. AEP Ohio will not build all study segments; the company will use public feedback, environmental review, engineering requirements, and other factors to select a proposed route for regulatory review.
Landowners and community members were invited to access project information, view an interactive map, and submit comments by Friday, Oct. 9.
Company officials expect construction to begin in late 2027 and conclude by 2029, pending regulatory approvals.
This project complements the Baku-Gavin Transmission Line Project announced in May 2026. The company plans to file an application for the Baku-Gavin improvements under Case No. 26-0426-EL-BTX. The application was informed by public comments, input from conversations with individual landowners and information shared with the project team during six public meetings.
Together, these power lines will help meet the customer’s electricity needs. Supplying the facility with multiple lines helps support the reliable delivery of power throughout the region.
Tagged with data centers, Power Brief