Niles AreaTransmission Improvements Project: Niles Central
Indiana Michigan Power representatives plan to upgrade the power grid in the Niles area by making improvements to the transmission infrastructure.
The Niles Area Transmission Improvements Project includes power line and substation improvements in several components. The Niles Central component, located in Berrien and Cass counties in Michigan, involves:
- Building the 69-kilovolt (kV) FourFlag Substation
- Upgrading the 69-kV Lake Street Substation
- Retiring 2.5 miles of 34.5-kV transmission line
- Building a half-mile of 69-kV transmission line to connect FourFlag Substation to the power system
The project strengthens the local transmission grid and improves electric reliability for area customers. The new substation provides increased capacity to serve area customers and reduce the likelihood of service interruptions.
Project Updates
Early 2026: Vegetation clearing to prepare for construction begins in January. Landowners affected by the clearing can expect to be contacted by a right-of-way agent from O.R. Colan (ORC), I&M’s right-of-way representative on this project.
Timeline
Timeline
Structures
Structures
Plans call for a small section of new 69-kV transmission line to be built using wooden single poles.
Typical Structure Height: Approximately 70-80 feet
Typical Right-of-Way Width: Approximately 65
feet
*Exact structure, height, and right-of-way requirements may vary.
Resources
Property Easements Project Fact Sheet Project Map Access Roads Field Activities
Indiana Michigan Power serves 575,000 customers in Indiana and Michigan.
I&M Outreach Team
833-441-2260
IM_Outreach@aep.com