Maple Hill Reliability Project

Duke Energy is committed to providing safe, reliable and affordable energy to customers. Maintaining a robust system for supplying and delivering electricity is critical to ensuring the continued reliability and economic prosperity of the region.

About the Maple Hill Reliability Project

Duke Energy has identified a need for a new transmission line project in Pender and Onslow counties. Duke Energy's transmission system in this area not only supplies power to its own substations, but to the substations of our electric membership partners who also serve customers along North Carolina's southeastern coast. In order to improve the reliability of the electric grid and avoid power outages from events like equipment failure or severe weather, the company will improve connectivity between its Folkstone substation on N.C. Highway 50 (West Ocean Road) and nearby transmission infrastructure by developing a new transmission loop line.

We are conducting a transmission line routing study to gather data to determine the least impactful route. This three-phase transmission line routing study is widely utilized within the electric utility industry as the most comprehensive method to identify a future transmission line corridor.

View the interactive map.

Project Description

• Determine a preferred route based on the routing study analysis, and announce the preferred route to the community in summer 2021.
• Construct a proposed new 230-kV transmission line from a tap point along existing transmission infrastructure to the existing Folkstone substation.
• The proposed new 230-kV transmission line is estimated to be approximately 5 miles in length. Conclusion of the routing study analysis will determine the length.
• The line will likely be built using 70-foot-tall H-frame construction on caissons.

Benefits to the Community

New transmission infrastructure in the area:

• Strengthens the ability of neighboring utilities to provide safe and reliable energy to homes, community facilities and businesses in the area
• Enhances capacity to meet the demands of growing energy needs in Pender and Onslow counties
• Ensures more flexibility for providing critical energy needs to communities in the region and maintains a robust system for supplying and delivering energy, which is integral to ensuring continued economic prosperity

Project to Date

• An open house was held in December 2019 at Holly Ridge Center.
• Due to Governor Cooper's social distancing requirements, the second open house was replaced with property owner meetings in spring of 2020.
• The public comment period ended July 2020. The public was able to share comments and questions by signing on to the interactive map and completing the survey.