Midtown HarvardTransmission Improvements Project

Public Service Company of Oklahoma (PSO) representatives plan to improve the electric transmission system in midtown Tulsa. The project involves rebuilding approximately 8.5 miles of 138-kilovolt transmission line by replacing wooden poles from the 1950s with modern steel poles. PSO representatives plan to rebuild about 1 mile of power line in early 2027 and the remaining 7.5 miles between summer 2027 and spring 2028.

PROJECT UPDATES

Early 2025:

TREE TRIMMING IN YOUR AREA

Unrelated to this rebuild project, PSO forestry representatives want property owners to know contractor tree crews plan to conduct vegetation management activities such as tree trimming and cutting within or near transmission line rights-of-way (ROW) crossing properties in parts of this same project area. The planned work schedule is as follows:

FEBRUARY: tree trimming crews are working along portions of the west side of Harvard Avenue south of 36th Street, and along the south side of 51st Street between Harvard and Delaware. Crews plan to conclude this work by the end of the month.

MARCH: tree trimming crews plan to work along portions of the north side of 36th Street between Lewis and Hudson avenues, as well as a stretch of transmission line between the Hudson roundabout and the Tulsa Southeast Substation. Crews plan to conclude this work by the end of March.

Forty percent of power outages are due to overgrown trees and other vegetation. Regular vegetation management practices such as trimming and clearing trees near or within the ROW helps balance the need for reliable electric service with respect for the natural environment and the community. If you have questions about this work, please contact us at 800-272-4826 or PSO_Outreach@aep.com.

Early 2025: PSO representatives hosted an in-person open house in Tulsa at the Yale Avenue Christian Church gym on Feb. 11, 2025, for affected members of the public to speak with project team members and provide feedback about the project scope, the construction process and PSO's vegetation management program.

O.R. Colan Associates (ORC) serves as PSO’s right-of-way representative for this project. ORC right-of-way agents plan to contact affected landowners to discuss field activities, easement acquisition and construction.

Fall 2024: Survey crews from Surveying and Mapping, LLC (SAM), are conducting boundary survey activities along the line route. Some of these activities may include placing stakes and ribbon on properties. Later this year, crews plan to conduct survey activities geared toward locating buried utilities along the power line route. Crews also plan to conduct engineering surveys using equipment to collect soil samples at select locations along the power line route. This work is necessary to inform engineering design plans.

PSO representatives plan to host an in-person open house in early 2025 for affected members of the public to learn more about the project from project team members. More details on the open house will come in the future.