As the population in Polk County grows, so does its appetite for electricity.
Construction recently started for a new Duke Energy electric utility substation in Auburndale. The project is one of the initial steps toward moving electricity for 48 miles in two directions from the Osprey Energy Center along new transmission lines to Kathleen and Haines City.
The project is set for completion by the summer of 2024. Dodge Data & Analytics listed the value of the Polk County Reliability Enhancement Project at $52 million.
The two new 230-kilovolt transmission lines “will help avoid overloads on the existing Duke Energy transmission system,” said Ana Gibbs, spokeswoman for Duke Energy. “The new transmission infrastructure will also provide the opportunity for future economic development and growth in the region.”