AEP Ohio proposes 50-mile transmission line through Pike, Jackson and Gallia counties to power Piketon data center

AEP Ohio has announced a significant infrastructure project, the Piketon Area Improvements Project, to construct approximately 50 miles of high-voltage transmission line across southern Ohio. This new line, primarily a 765-kilovolt connection, is designed to serve a planned data center campus located at the former gaseous diffusion plant site in Piketon, Ohio. The project involves building a new Baku Substation in Pike County and connecting it to the existing Gavin Substation in Gallia County, traversing Pike, Jackson, and Gallia counties. AEP Ohio is actively seeking public feedback on several potential route options for the transmission line through scheduled information meetings in Pike, Jackson, and Gallia counties. The utility plans to submit its regulatory application to the Ohio Power Siting Board this summer, with a decision expected in early 2027. If approved, construction is slated to commence in early 2027 and conclude by late 2028. AEP Ohio emphasized that the data center customer will bear the project's cost, ensuring no impact on electricity rates for other Ohio residents.