Dicks Creek

Reliability is a responsibility that Duke Energy takes very seriously. We are working on building a smarter energy future, which includes improvements to the electric transmission system in Butler County.

The Dicks Creek Substation in Middletown, Ohio, will be getting modernized with a new design and new equipment to improve the reliability of the community's electricity as part of its separation from the generating station. This project follows the 2014 announcement that Duke Energy would be exiting the Midwest commercial generating business and selling nine power plants in Ohio, including the Dicks Creek Generating Station. Duke Energy will retain ownership of the Dicks Creek Substation and will reconfigure the substation to operate independently from the generating station.

Project Need

The project will increase security to the substation as part of the separation of operations from the sale of the generating station. As a result, the project will support the reliability of the energy network, as well as meet regulatory standards to serve electricity to homes, schools, hospitals and businesses in the area.

Project Description

The project involves expanding the substation area by approximately 50 feet to the east as well as 50 feet to the north to make room for the new substation equipment. Duke Energy will install a retaining wall on the east side of the substation property and level the expanded substation area. The height of the wall will range from 5 to 11.5 feet. The project also involves the removal of the existing transmission line and replacement of two existing transmission towers with four steel poles to support two new 138-kilovolt (kV) transmission lines that will run in and out of the substation. The new steel poles range from 110-115 feet tall. The two new 138-kV transmission lines will each be approximately 0.33 mile long and improve reliability of the electric system.

Construction on the substation expansion is expected to begin in early May 2020 and will continue through the end of the year.

Vegetation clearing for the work on the transmission lines is expected to begin in December 2020. Construction for the transmission line foundations is expected to begin in January 2021. The construction to install the 138-kV transmission poles is expected to begin in March 2021. All construction is expected to be completed by June 2021.

Benefits to the Community

• Improves electrical system reliability
• Maintains a robust system for supplying and delivering energy, which is integral to ensuring the continued economic growth and prosperity of the community
• Improves power reliability for decades to come by strengthening the security of the energy grid