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Hernando Today

Power Line Routes To Be Unveiled At Open House

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By TONY MARRERO

Hernando Today

Published: January 13, 2009

BROOKSVILLE - The public will get its first look at the proposed routes for Progress Energy's new transmission lines at an open house in Brooksville Wednesday.

The prevalent feeling will likely be relief, company officials say.

There are only about five homes directly in the path of the lines along the entire route of roughly 60 miles between the site of the company's proposed nuclear plant in Levy County to its Brooksville West substation just south of State Road 50, said Gail Simpson, Progress's public policy manager.

Perhaps more surprising, only about 20 pieces of property along the route where the company would need more right of way actually have homes on them, Simpson said. The rest, she said, are vacant pieces of land.

"In most cases we'll be negotiating easements" rather than purchasing property outright, Simpson said.

"We're pleased to be in that situation," she said.

That news seems to fulfill the promises Progress officials have made to keep the new 230 kilovolt lines in the existing rights of way wherever possible.

Still, even Simpson admitted the limited effect on property owners is "amazing."

"We've worked hard to do that," she said.

She declined to provide more specific information about the property until the open house, though the company has already said that some of the new right of way needs are in Hernando but not in Brookridge.

Property owners within a half mile on either side of the proposed routes received a letter notifying them of Wednesday's open house meeting set for 4 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Brooksville Elks Lodge, 14494 Cortez Blvd.,

The routes have to be approved by the state later this year, but Progress has already contacted some property owners about purchasing right of way, Simpson said. The company hopes to start construction of the new lines in 2012 and have the new plant online by 2016.

Reporter Tony Marrero can be reached at 352-544-5286 or lmarrero@hernandotoday.com.

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