ASHLAND, Ky. (WMDJ) — The Kentucky Public Service Commission has approved a major transmission line project aimed at improving electric reliability in the region.

According to Kentucky Power, the Prestonsburg–Thelma Transmission Line Rebuild Project will upgrade about 14 miles of line to 69-kilovolt standards, while retiring older sections and equipment.

The company says the line plays a key role in delivering power locally, and the upgrades were identified through planning assessments by PJM Interconnection, which oversees the electric grid in the area.

Work will include replacing aging wooden structures with steel poles, relocating portions of the line for easier access, and adding equipment designed to protect against lightning.

Kentucky Power says right-of-way representatives will begin contacting landowners along the route about surveys and other preliminary work.

Construction is expected to begin this summer, with completion projected for fall 2028.