Pioneer Transmission, Northern Indiana Public Service Company complete 70-mile transmission line in Indiana

Pioneer Transmission, LLC and Northern Indiana Public Service Company, LLC (NIPSCO) announced Tuesday the completion of an approximately 70-mile transmission line that connects the Greentown Station near Kokomo, Indiana, to the Reynolds Station in Reynolds, Indiana.

In addition to the new extra-high voltage 765-kilovolt (kV) transmission line, the project includes upgrades to the Reynolds Station. It represents a $347 million investment.

Pioneer Transmission, LLC is a joint venture of Duke Energy and American Electric Power (AEP).

“This collaborative project with AEP, Duke, and NIPSCO strengthens the reliability of the energy system for customers and provides a new pathway for delivering renewable energy, such as wind power, to all customers in the region,” Lisa Barton, executive vice president of AEP Transmission, said.

The Greentown-Reynolds project, which began in 2013, is one of 17 priority Multi-Value Projects identified by the Midcontinent Independent System Operator, Inc.

It is the first phase of Pioneer Transmission’s plan to connect Duke Energy’s Greentown Station to AEP’s Rockport Station east of Evansville, Indiana, which will require approximately 290 miles of transmission lines and related facilities.

“With the Pioneer project, we are making significant improvements to the energy delivery system for customers in Indiana and beyond, creating a more efficient link between the region’s power plants and allowing for the integration of renewables and other new technologies on the grid,” Chris Fallon, president of Duke Energy Transmission Holdings, said.