Duke Energy finalizes route for Polk County Reliability Enhancement Project

Duke Energy moved forward with plans to enhance energy distribution efforts in its service area through finalization of a route for its Polk County Reliability Enhancement Project.

The Central Florida-based project looks to connect Duke’s Osprey Energy Center in Auburndale, Florida with substations in Kathleen and Haines City, Florida. Duke decided to settle a new substation on the Osprey Energy site and build new transmission lines from that center to the Kathleen substation and Haines City East substation. Those lines will stretch 26.2 miles and 21.4 miles, respectively.

Duke reviewed and considered several factors, including safety, reliability, land use, cultural and natural resources as well as input from affected communities.

“We appreciate the public’s participation throughout the planning phase of this project,” Catherine Stempien, Duke Energy Florida president, said. “Know we are committed to continuing to engage the affected communities and keep them informed as we build an energy backbone to support the tremendous growth and development now underway in Polk County.”

Now that a route has been decided, the company will begin surveying operations in January 2019, which will run for around six months. Once the route has been precisely set, Duke Energy will begin contacting affected property owners. Construction is expected to follow in 2021, with lines currently estimated to enter service in 2024.