PENNSYLVANIA
PUBLIC UTILITY COMMISSION
Harrisburg, PA 17105-3265

	        Public Meeting held February 28, 2008

Commissioners Present:

Wendell F. Holland, Chairman
James H. Cawley, Vice Chairman
Tyrone J. Christy
Kim Pizzingrilli

Letter of Notification of Duquesne Light Company			Docket Number:
filed pursuant to 52 Pa. Code Chapter 57.72 (d),				A-2008-2019821
for increasing the Voltage of a 9.2 mile long segment		
of a Transmission Line in Plum Borough, Penn Hills
Township, and the Municipality of Monroeville, 
Allegheny County, Pa

ORDER
BY THE COMMISSION:

On January 2, 2008, Duquesne Light Company (“Duquesne Light”) filed a Letter of Notification pursuant to 52 Pa. Code §57.72(d)(l)(iv) of the Commission’s transmission line siting regulation.  Section 57.72 authorizes the abbreviated “Letter of Notification” siting application process in lieu of an application for the following:

(i)	An HV line which is proposed to be located entirely on an existing           
transmission line right-of-way, so long as the size, character, design, or              
configuration, of the proposed HV line does not substantially alter the 
right-of-way.

            (ii)       An HV line which is proposed to be located entirely within a public road.

(iii)	 An HV line which is proposed to be located entirely within applicant’s   existing transmission line right-of-way and the property of the sole customer to be served by the line, so long as the size, character, design, or configuration of the proposed HV line does not substantially alter the right-of-way.

(iv)	A line for which the voltage is proposed to be increased above its present             levels, so long as the size, character, design, or configuration of the            proposed HV line does not substantially alter the right-of-way.
 
         (v)    An HV line having a proposed route of 2 miles or less.

Copies of the Letter of Notification were served in accordance with
Section 57.72(d) (3), on the PA Department of Transportation, PA Historical and
Museum Commission, PA Department of Environmental Protection, Monroeville
Municipal Authority, Allegheny County Council, Plum Borough Planning and Zoning Authority, and other participants as listed in the Certificate of Service attached to this filing.  No protests were filed. No hearings were held.

	Duquesne Light seeks Commission’s approval to increase the voltage of a 9.2-mile portion of one circuit of an existing 10-mile double circuit transmission line (“Line”) from 69 kV to 138kV. The voltage increase is proposed for the circuit presently identified as Colfax-Wilmerding 66l04 (“Ckt. 66104”).  Following the proposed voltage upgrade, the line will be identified as Cheswick-Wilmerding Z-5l. The second circuit, known as Cheswick-Wilmerding Z-50, presently operates at the 138kV level. These circuits connect the Duquesne Light Wilmerding Substation with the Duquesne Light Colfax Substation and the Duquesne Light Cheswick West Yard Substation respectively. 
	
	Ckt. 66104 begins at Wilmerding Substation and proceeds a distance of approximately 9.2 miles in a generally north direction through the Municipality of Monroeville, Penn Hills Township, and Plum Borough to tower 1233A. Approximately 19,728 feet of the line is within the Municipality of Monroeville, 16,135 feet of the line is within Penn Hills Township, 12,860 feet of the line is within Plum Borough. All of the municipalities are located in Allegheny County.  Approximately 56% of the line is located on existing 80-foot rights-of-way, 7% is located on existing 180-foot rights-of-way, 2% is located on existing 250-foot rights-of-way, 10% is located on existing 300-foot rights-of-way, 22% is located on existing centerline rights-of-way, and 3% is located on Duquesne Light property.
 
	Duquesne Light states that it strives to ensure continuous reliable service from its transmission system for the entire service territory.  Duquesne Light has concerns regarding the limited transmission resources supplying the northeastern areas of its service territory.  Duquesne Light has determined that to ensure reliable service, upgrades are required.  Increasing the transmission supply from 69kV to 138kV will increase the capacity of the transmission system, decrease the number of transformations to 69kV and consequently reduce losses and investment in 69kV autotransformers, while addressing the need for extensive rehabilitation of aging substations.  The upgraded Ckt. 66104 will support distribution rehabilitation at Wilmerding Substation, located in the Municipality of Monroeville.

		The line consists primarily of lattice steel towers constructed in the1920s.  In 1966, the line was upgraded for operation at 138kV. Upon completion of the upgrade, Ckt. 66104 continued to operate at 69kV and Cheswick-Wilmerding Z-50 began operating at 138kV.  The height of the structures and the span lengths on the upgraded 9.2-mile portion of the line will remain the same. The height of the existing structures ranges between 69 feet and 193 feet above the ground. Existing span lengths range from 375 to 1445 feet, with typical span lengths varying between 400 and 1200 feet.

		The upgraded portion of Ckt. 66104 will continue to be a three-phase alternating current transmission line.  In the 9.1-mile section of the line proposed for voltage increase, each circuit consists of three phase conductors with one shield wire common to both circuits. Each phase conductor is 853.7 kcmil 24/13 Aluminum Conductor Alloy Reinforced (“ACAR”) Conductor and the shield wire is a 7#8 Alumoweld conductor. 

	New construction consisting of approximately 1536 feet of new conductor from an adjacent 138kV line known as Z-52 to tower 1233A of circuit 66104 will be required to facilitate the proposed voltage upgrade of Colfax-Wilmerding 66104 to 138kV operation. This construction will take place on Duquesne Light property and within a portion of Duquesne Light right-of-way containing several existing transmission lines operating at the 138kV level. This construction will relocate the termination of 
Ckt. 66104 from Colfax Substation to the area known as the Cheswick West Yard: No other new construction, reconstruction, or modifications, except for routine maintenance items, will be required to increase the voltage from 69kV to 138kV on this line.

	Duquesne Light states that the proposed increase in voltage of Ckt. 66104 will not substantially alter the right-of-way. The Line has existed and operated in its present location since the 1920s and in its present configuration since 1966. The size, character, design, or configuration of Ckt. 66104 will not change to increase the voltage of the Line. The existing right-of-way agreements are written for a “transmission system for the conveyance and distribution of electric current.” The route of the transmission line will remain essentially unchanged. The existing centerline rights-of-way and widths of 80, 180, 250, and 300 feet will remain unchanged.

	Duquesne Light states that the design, construction and operation of Ckt. 66104 will meet or exceed the requirements specified in the latest revision of the National Electric Safety Code (“NESC”) and all applicable safety standards established by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (“OSHA”). 

The formal Duquesne Light Letter of Notification and manner in which it was filed conforms to the requirements of 52 Pa. Code § 57.72. Moreover, the Commission has reviewed the filing and does not find it to be inconsistent with the applicable law or Commission policy regarding transmission line siting; THEREFORE,

IT IS ORDERED:

			That the Letter of Notification filed by Duquesne Light Company regarding increasing the Voltage of a 9.2 mile long segment of a transmission line in Plum Borough, Penn Hills Township, and the Municipality of Monroeville, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, is hereby approved.

BY THE COMMISSION,

James J. McNulty
Secretary

(SEAL)

ORDER ADOPTED: February 28, 2008

ORDER ENTERED:  February 29, 2008