By: Tracy Sanders
Residents in the Green Pond area of Woodruff have come together and formed the 501(c)(3) Green Pond Rural Alliance (GPRA). You can view their website at http://www.greenpondruralalliance.org. The alliance was formed in opposition to a new “Big Ferguson” substation that Duke Energy has planned for the area. The location of the substation is planned near the intersection of Highway 417 and Greenpond Road. Duke Energy will also install a transmission line route along with the substation. At the time of this article, Duke Energy has yet to determine the route for the transmission lines. When the route has been decided, Duke Energy will notify the residents whose land will be affected by the route.
In a document Duke Energy released, they state the need for the new substation. “The need for the substation is twofold. First, it will relieve the existing substations that presently serve the rural areas of existing and projected energy load because the distribution lines are near capacity. Second, the project will provide energy delivery for the rural areas as well as meeting the energy demand for anticipated
GPRA is asking Duke Energy to move the substation to a location with less impact on a residential area. On the GPRA website, they state their mission is to “preserve rural land, protect the health of the many streams, ponds, and springs within the Green Pond Community, maintain and increase the diversity and health of the wild plants and animals within the community, and distribute information to the greater Green Pond community regarding proposed community development, infrastructure, and legislative changes, air and water safety findings, and best farming practices for the community’s climate.”
On September 20, 2022, Duke Energy held an open house at Belleview Baptist Church. According to the GRPA website, the representatives from Duke Energy “had no detailed information, no knowledge of the nature of the study area, and provided different answers to the same questions to different people.”
Another open house was planned for early January 2023 but has now been rescheduled by Duke Energy for sometime in the first quarter of 2023.
The Woodruff Times reached out to Duke Energy but, at the time of this article, has yet to receive a response. Duke Energy has created a website for residents to view updates, next steps, and frequently asked questions. That website is https://www.duke-energy.com/our-company/about-us/electric-transmission-projects/big-ferguson.
According to Duke Energy’s website, the project’s completion will be in 2027.
Author: Tracy Sanders
