Noblesville-Westfield Reliability Projects

Since 2000, the population of Westfield has nearly quadrupled, and Noblesville’s population has risen 130%. This ongoing growth demands enhancements to our local electric transmission system.

Yes. To help ensure reliable service, planning for increased demand is essential. To address the rising demand as Noblesville and Westfield continue to grow and to prepare for future growth, system upgrades are necessary. The area’s electric system backbone consists of a 230-kilovolt (kV) transmission line running north to south, parallel to Moontown Road/North Gray Road within existing easements. This high-voltage power line supplies the local 69-kV transmission grid, which powers distribution substations delivering electricity to homes and businesses. The 230-kV line was built in 1984 when the area was less populated.

Duke Energy was informed by the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) that its road widening project conflicted with the originally announced southern preferred route. Adding additional traffic lanes on Ind. 32/Westfield Road will leave inadequate space for Duke Energy to build a transmission line and associated infrastructure in the road rights of way.

These segments were reviewed and presented to the public as a possible alternative route, and now it is the preferred route under the changed circumstances. 

We do not expect the southern route to change again. The route change is directly related to the INDOT’s road improvement project along Ind. 32/Westfield Road.

No, we do not expect to impact the trail.

We do not believe that trees north of the Midland Trace Trail will need to be removed to accommodate the new transmission poles. It may be necessary to trim trees that extend over the easement.

The new 69-kV Noblesville West Substation will be built near the intersection of Ind. 32/Westfield Road and North Gray Road on land that Duke Energy purchased in 2019. This location has not changed since it was communicated several years ago.

Duke Energy is taking aesthetics into consideration as the new substation is designed and constructed.

Building exclusively within road rights of way can be challenging since local municipalities and departments of transportation prefer to keep these areas free of utilities. This allows them to widen and maintain roads as needed.

Additional easements will first need to be acquired before construction begins.

A land agent will contact you individually if an easement is needed on your property. These conversations are expected to begin soon.

An easement is a legal agreement that gives Duke Energy the right to use, not own, specific portions of land for certain purposes. Easements get recorded on the property deed and remain in effect after properties are sold to a new owner. Learn more about easements in this short video.

Easement area widths vary based on the locations of existing easement and the clearance for structures. We will work directly with property owners who are affected by an easement acquisition.

New poles will replace existing poles currently in easement areas and road rights of way in most locations.

Most new poles will be made of self-supporting, galvanized steel.

Steel poles are more reliable and better able to withstand higher wind speeds than traditional wood poles, which can mean fewer power outages. The poles have an improved design for lightning protection and require less maintenance and fewer inspections (therefore less disturbance to neighborhoods).

Poles typically range from 80 feet to 100 feet tall. The number of poles required for each new line will depend on the length and final design.

Yes, to the extent existing lines are replaced or new lines are added, the new poles will support them.

Transmission power lines carry energy between substations and are considerably more challenging to place underground. This process requires large open trenches, special vaults and other equipment, all of which significantly increase installation costs, which are paid for by our customers. The vast majority of the nation’s transmission lines are installed above ground. Power lines that are placed underground are typically lower-voltage lines. Underground lines can and do experience outages. These outages tend to be longer due to the extensive time required to locate the issue, excavate to access the equipment, perform repairs, and subsequently rebury the line.

If there are trees that are close to power lines, we will need to trim or remove them so that they do not come in contact or interfere with the operation of the lines. Learn more about vegetation management in this video.

While scientific study continues, decades of scientific studies have examined low-frequency electromagnetic fields (EMF) from power lines, household appliances and other electrical devices. Unlike EMF from higher-frequency sources, such as ultraviolet light and X-rays, low-frequency EMF from power lines has not been found to have a link to adverse health conditions.