Dierks - MenaTransmission Improvements Project

Southwestern Electric Power Company (SWEPCO) representatives plan to rebuild and upgrade about 15 miles of 69-kilovolt (kV) transmission line. This project strengthens the local electric system and provides more reliable service in Polk and Howard counties. Crews plan to start construction in early 2025 and conclude in late 2026.

PROJECT UPDATES

Fall 2024:

SWEPCO representatives plan for construction to start on the first phase of the line rebuild in early 2025. The construction phases and timeframes are as follows:

• Transmission Line Rebuild Phase 1 (Mena Substation - U.S. Motors Tap) - Starting in early 2025, crews plan to work west to east rebuilding approximately 1 mile of line (replacing wooden poles with steel poles) between the Mena Substation and a structure at the U.S. Motors Tap. Crews expect to conclude this phase by summer 2025.
• Transmission Line Rebuild Phase 2 (U.S. Motors Tap - Dallas Tap) - Crews plan to rebuild approximately 2 miles of line between a structure at the U.S. Motors Tap and a structure near the Dallas Tap (just east of Highway 375). Crews also plan to replace a handful of existing structures with new steel structures further south near the Umpire Tap. Crews plan to start this work in fall 2025 and conclude in late 2025.
• Transmission Line Rebuild Phase 3 (Dallas Tap - Dierks) - Crews plan to rebuild approximately 11 miles of line between the Dallas Tap structure and a structure north of Highway 278 in east Dierks. Crews plan to start this work in early 2026 and conclude in late 2026.

* These timeframes are still subject to adjustment based on project developments.