Camp Washington Substation and Transmission Line Project

We take seriously our responsibility to provide dependable energy to the communities we serve. As part of that commitment, we’re improving our electric transmission infrastructure – the backbone of our state’s energy system – powering our communities and building the smarter, cleaner energy future that customers expect.

With that in mind, Duke Energy is building new infrastructure that will also pave the way for the construction of the city of Cincinnati’s Western Hills Viaduct replacement project. Duke Energy will build a new 138/13.09-kilovolt (kV) substation that will replace the aging 69/13.09-kV Brighton Substation located at 2229 Spring Grove Ave. in Cincinnati. This project will result in the retirement of Brighton Substation and the 69-kV transmission line currently serving Brighton Substation – allowing the city’s viaduct project to move forward. 

Project Need

The new modernized substation will not only help increase the reliability of the area’s electric service, but also will provide added capacity to support future development in the area. The transmission line construction will undergo regulatory approval from the Ohio Power Siting Board (OPSB). Upon completion and energization of this project, Brighton Substation and its infrastructure will be retired, opening the way for future construction of the viaduct project.

Project Description

The new Camp Washington Substation will be located on Duke Energy property at 2261 Spring Grove Ave., the site of the former Chem-Pack building. An existing 138-kV transmission line will be extended into the new substation. The transmission line portion of the project will involve constructing eight new steel monopole structures in concrete foundations and extending approximately 4,000 feet of new transmission line to loop into each side of the substation. The above-ground heights of the structures will range from 106 to 190 feet. 

At the same time, we will be modernizing the connecting distribution lines that carry energy to your homes, schools, hospitals and businesses. These improvements will strengthen the energy grid by helping to reduce the number of customer outages, decreasing the duration of outages when they occur and rapidly restoring power to areas not directly affected by a service outage. 

Transmission Line Proposal 

The project underwent regulatory approval with the Ohio Power siting Board.

View the copy of the application. A paper copy will be provided upon request. To obtain a paper copy, please call 888.827.5116.

• February 2024: Vegetation maintenance for transmission line construction
• February 2024 – November 2024: Transmission line construction
• August 2024 – May 2025: Construction of Camp Washington Substation
• End of May 2025:Substation tested and energized
• June/July 2025: Restoration activities, installing permanent fence, sidewalks around substation and demobilization
• February 2026: Brighton Substation de-energized 
• End of 2026: Demolition of transmission lines serving Brighton Substation
• June 2027: Demolition of Brighton Substation, related transmission lines and remediation completed