Duncan - Rush SpringsTransmission Improvements Project

Public Service Company of Oklahoma (PSO) representatives plan to strengthen the electric system by rebuilding an aging transmission line in Stephens and Grady counties. Crews plan to start construction in early 2026 and conclude in spring 2027.

The project involves rebuilding about 25 miles of 138-kilovolt transmission line in Stephens and Grady counties.

Fall 2025: Crews plan to start preliminary construction activities in early January 2026 to prepare the right-of-way for construction. This work may include:

• Placing stakes and ribbon within the company's easement on your property
• Installing temporary gates, fencing and access roads as needed
• Installing culverts for water management
• Trimming or removing trees and other woody-stemmed vegetation within the transmission line right-of-way.

Crews will remove existing wooden transmission structures along the right-of-way and replace them with new poles during this project. The first phase of construction starts in early 2026 and involves rebuilding about 1.5 miles between the Duncan Substation southwest of the airport to the Duncan Cherokee Substation east of the airport. Once that work concludes in spring 2026, PSO representatives plan for the following schedule:

• Spring 2026 - Summer 2026: rebuilding 3 miles of transmission line between the Duncan Cherokee Substation and the Duncan Eastside Substation off East Willow Avenue.
• Fall 2026 - Spring 2027: rebuilding about 20 miles of line between the Duncan Cherokee Substation and a transmission structure east of Rush Springs off Cox City Road. PSO representatives plan for project construction activities to conclude in spring 2027.

Volkert, Inc., continues to serve as PSO's right-of-way representative for this project.

Summer 2025: As this project has evolved, the timeline has shifted. PSO representatives plan to start construction activities in early 2026 and conclude in spring 2027.

Volkert, Inc., serves as PSO’s right-of-way representative for this project. Volkert right-of-way agents continue to contact affected landowners to discuss field activities, easement acquisition and construction.

Spring 2024: As this project has evolved, the timeline has shifted. PSO representatives plan to start construction activities in fall 2025 and conclude in late spring 2026.

Spring 2023: Due to challenges with the supply chain, PSO representatives decided to rebuild this line using mostly concrete single-pole structures instead of steel. PSO representatives expect pre-construction activities to start in late summer of this year, with transmission line construction starting in early fall. Crews plan to finish construction in late spring 2024.