North Baltimore-PortageTransmission Line Rebuild Project

AEP Ohio representatives plan power grid upgrades in Wood County.

The North Baltimore-Portage Transmission Line Rebuild Project involves rebuilding about 12 miles of 69-kilovolt transmission line between North Baltimore Substation off East Broadway Street and Portage Substation off Greensburg Pike. Company representatives plan to rebuild most of the power line in the existing right-of-way, but may require obtaining new or updating existing property easements. Easements are defined land rights that property owners grant to allow for the safe construction, operation and maintenance of the power line.

The existing power line was built in the 1920s and consists of wooden poles that have shown signs of insect damage and rotting. Upgrading the line with modern facilities helps improve the line's operational performance, reduces the likelihood of extended power outages and speeds recovery of service when outages occur.

Fall 2025: AEP Ohio representatives announce the North Baltimore-Portage Transmission Line Rebuild Project.

Crews plan to conduct field surveys beginning in fall 2025 and continuing through late 2026. Survey crews plan to use existing roads or lands, whenever possible, to access the power line. AEP Ohio employees and contractors wear hard hats and high-visibility vests, carry an ID badge and clearly display identification on vehicle dashboards.

Property owners along the power line route will be contacted by Contract Land Staff (CLS), the right-of-way vendor representing AEP Ohio for this project. If you want to reach out to a right-of-way agent with immediate questions, please contact Mandy Morrow with CLS at 614-580-0646 or amanda.morrow@contractlandstaff.com.