“In portions, to reduce impact, it follows the existing (high voltage) line as close as we can,” said Kathleen Szot, external communications manager for NIPSCO Communications and Public Affairs. She is referring to the new NIPSCO Reynolds-Topeka 100-mile electric transmission line.

Having the new transmission line running parallel to the existing 345kV transmission line will also help reduce purchase of right of way or corridor space. “It’s going to be case by case,” Szot stated. “If the existing space provides the ability to build, we won’t (need to acquire additional space).”

Letters to affected landowners went out Aug. 15-16, stated Szot, who noted during the next several months the company will be reaching out to those residents regarding right of way acquisition, and then engineering plans. The construction will not start until 2014.

Szot stated the project will require a 200-foot wide corridor, however, unlike the high voltage line now, this construction will be a monopole — similar to the standard electrical poles seen across the area. These poles are anticipated to be 130 feet tall.

There are approximately 105 parcels of land affected in the county. Some of those are in Van Buren Township as it heads north into Elkhart County.

Landowners who already have the high power line on their property will be losing additional property for the new monopoles. These poles will be placed, on average, 800 feet apart. However, the new line will be making a few jogs and affecting residents not previously affected.

Szot noted consideration for irrigation systems in place was taken. “We tried to avoid irrigation. It definitely was a major consideration,” she explained. Additionally, all landowners within 1,000 feet of the line were notified in July of the proposals. “It shouldn’t be something they have not heard of,” she stated.

When the line enters Van Buren Township from the southwest, it will run parallel to the large existing 345kV transmission line until it nears CR 1150 North and Old SR 15 at the south edge of Milford. then, according to the county GIS map, the line will deviate away from the existing line and go east over property owned by J & S Beer Farms and property owned by Barth Property LLC and Barbara Barth, before heading north.

At that point it appears the line will affect property owned by Logan S. Messer at 234 E. CR 1150N, or the property of David and Linda Miller at 306 E. CR 1150N, before heading north over farmland owned by Steven and Constance Beer. It will then follow the high voltage line north.

Another area where the line will deviate from the existing line is near where it crosses Beer Road, east of Milford. There, the line will take an easterly turn over property owned by Sharyl Sue Flechter, Kristen A. Beer and Amy M. Beer and go behind property of Rex Leroy Tinkey and property owned by Dan and Deb Beer. The line will head along the east edge of the Tinkey/Beer property going north over Beer’s property back to following the existing line.

The line will continue its northeasterly path parallel to the existing system until it reaches U.S. 6 and CR 29. After crossing U.S. 6, the line will cross the existing line, jog north through property of Jerry W. and Tammy Stewart and Tim Graff before again angling northeast through Prairie Meadows LLC property. After crossing CR 52 the line will take an easterly path over the properties of Carl and Judy Schrock and Heath and Nancy Fervida, with a short dip to the south over the Dale Fahlbeck property at CR 33 before heading northeast along with the high voltage transmission line.

The Stewart property, along with the property of Michael and Christina Haab which a transmission line already crosses, may also be affected by a proposed bridge over U.S. 6 at CR 29.

To see where the line will pass through the county and get closer views go online to reynoldstopeka.com. Final route maps are available to view in detail. The local area is shown on sheets 6 and 7.

Maps are also available at Milford and Syracuse public libraries and show all the proposed routes.