SOUTH BLOOMFIELD, Ohio — Two of three route options being studied for a massive new high-voltage transmission line could run through the Village of South Bloomfield, village officials said, as the developer behind the project moves closer to picking a final path through Pickaway County.
Representatives from the village attended an open house hosted by Grid Growth Ventures on Sept. 28 regarding the company’s proposed 765-kilovolt transmission project, known as Grid Growth East. The company has not yet selected a final route, but village officials said two of the three options discussed at the meeting could run through South Bloomfield.
One option would run just north of a local sod farm and south of the U.S. 23 rest area. A second would be situated south of Bloomfield Hills and north of the Genevieve Jones Nature Preserve, formerly known as Cooks Creek Golf Course, according to the village.
The proposed transmission structures would stand approximately 175 feet tall and require a right-of-way about 180 feet wide. For comparison, the village’s water tower stands about 170 feet tall, officials said.
Village officials encouraged residents to review the available project information, do their own research and form an opinion on the proposal. Public comments, whether in support or opposition, may be submitted through Grid Growth Ventures’ website. Residents may also contact village elected officials or administrative staff with questions, though officials cautioned they may not yet have all the answers.
Grid Growth Ventures is a joint venture combining Transource Energy — a partnership between American Electric Power and Evergy — with FirstEnergy Transmission. The company was selected by PJM Interconnection, the regional transmission organization that coordinates electricity flow across Ohio and surrounding states, to develop two 765-kV lines linking facilities in Coshocton and Guernsey counties to Pickaway and Fairfield counties amid growing regional power demand.
The two proposed lines already carry case numbers with the Ohio Power Siting Board, the state agency that must approve any route before construction can begin: the Adkins–West Millersport 765 kV Transmission Line Project, Case No. 26-0813-EL-BTX, and the Conesville–Guernsey 765 kV Transmission Line Project, Case No. 26-0812-EL-BTX. Grid Growth Ventures has said it expects to file applications with the board in spring 2027, after completing environmental, cultural resource and engineering studies once a preferred route is identified.
Additional information, including detailed route maps and project materials, is available at GridGrowthVentures.com/EasternOhio.
The information contained in this story was obtained from the Village of South Bloomfield.
