Morrisville Industrial Transmission Line Project

A multidisciplinary, objective analysis to identify a transmission line route. Duke Energy’s process includes social, land use, environmental and engineering considerations and develops a line’s route to have the least impact to each. The siting study utilizes information from publicly available data sources but also relies on collecting data from other stakeholders as well. Duke Energy depends on records from government agencies and feedback from property owners and the public to ensure appropriate routing decisions.

The process is generally split into three primary phases: data collection, alternative route analysis and decision reporting. Duke Energy relies on information and feedback from the public during all phases of the study, usually at public open houses. During data collection, the study creates a baseline study area to include a reasonably sized vicinity in which to identify a set of route options to consider. Duke Energy investigates all available resources to collect information on constraints (areas to avoid) and opportunities for transmission line routing in the study area. Alternative route analysis primarily focuses on development of route options within the study area. The data collected in the previous phase, including information from the public, is used to create a set of route alternatives. These route alternatives are presented to the public stakeholders in meetings with public agencies and regulators and during another open house. These alternatives are then evaluated and scored based on a number of criteria with social, land use, environmental and engineering considerations. Duke Energy will then comprehensively review the quantitative results of the analysis and select a preferred route for the transmission line. During decision reporting, all stakeholders are notified of our decision; at this time, affected property owners are contacted about the route selection.

Transmission lines are a system of electrical wires that carry large amounts of energy over long distances. These wires can run from generation stations to substations where energy is converted to lower distribution levels to serve homes, schools, hospitals and businesses in the community. It’s the network of the transmission and distribution systems, also called the energy grid. The Morrisville Industrial Transmission Line Project will help strengthen the energy grid by allowing more flexibility in providing energy to a booming life science industry as well as economic and customer growth in Morrisville, while also improving the company’s ability to reroute power during planned and unplanned outages. This can help support faster restoration following weather events such as extreme summer and winter conditions. View a short video to learn more about the importance of the electric transmission system.

The company first identifies potential corridors and seeks feedback from the community. A corridor is a study area that represents the potential path of a transmission line. The specific transmission routes will be much narrower and located in easements negotiated with property owners. These specific locations will later be determined following public input and further study. This additional study examines land use, connectivity to other power lines, engineering construction and complexity, and ecological and cultural resources, such as wetlands and historic sites.

We are in the preliminary stages of identifying and selecting the potential routes for the transmission line where we’re seeking public input. We anticipate starting construction in early 2027. 

Once we select the preferred route for the new transmission line, we will negotiate with landowners along the identified final route to obtain the required easements – or land rights – for the new transmission line.

An easement is a legal agreement that gives Duke Energy the right to use, not own, specific portions of land for certain purposes. Easements are legal land rights, usually recorded with the county in which the property is located, and remain in effect as properties are sold to new owners. 

Learn more about easements in this short video: 

Easement area widths are expected to be approximately 68 feet. Property owners will be getting direct contacts and will take an active role in negotiations if they are affected by easement acquisition.

Many studies have examined EMF from power lines, household appliances and other devices with an electric current. After decades of research, scientists have not established a conclusive link between EMF exposure and effects on human health. Learn more about electric and magnetic fields.