Neighbors upset over plans to build an electric substation in Pineville
Residents say the substation will decrease their property values and create a health hazard; officials say growth has increased the demand for electricity and existing stations will max out in 2025
The following article was published on December 7, 2023 by The Charlotte Ledger, an e-newsletter with smart and original local news for Charlotte. We offer free and paid subscription plans. More info here.
Pineville and Fort Mill residents are fighting the town of Pineville’s plans to construct an electric substation near a neighborhood that straddles the state line
An electric substation is being considered on a 1-acre site at Miller Road and Greenway Drive in Pineville. The town says the substation will be similar to the one located at the entrance of Jack Hughes Park (pictured right). (Photos courtesy of Town of Pineville)
by Lindsey Banks
Residents of a neighborhood that straddles the Pineville-Fort Mill border are protesting plans to build a new electric substation in Pineville, saying the substation will harm their health and property values and threaten their community’s character.
The proposed location is a 1.01-acre site in Pineville off N.C. 51 near the Miller Flea Market and McCullough neighborhood. The Pineville Town Council plans to purchase the property and would construct the substation with Electricities, a Huntersville-based electric utility company.
Nearby residents posted an online petition on Tuesday asking the town of Pineville to build the substation elsewhere. The Pineville Town Council will ultimately decide on the substation’s location. As of Thursday afternoon, the petition had garnered over 600 signatures.
Rebecca Ingram Rowe of Fort Mill told The Ledger that neighborhood residents found out about the substation through “hearsay” earlier this week from the property’s current owner, Charles Miller, who was approached by the town to purchase the parcel for the project. Residents were not formally informed of the project until Tuesday when the town of Pineville sent out a press release.
Pineville Town Manager Ryan Spitzer told The Ledger that the town waited to inform residents until they had investigated different properties and determined the most suitable one.
“When we look at property we can either negotiate with the property owner, and if the property owner doesn't want to negotiate with us, then we do have the power to condemn property under eminent domain for public use,” Spitzer said.
The residents’ petition argues that the project infringes on local landmarks like the nearby Miller Flea Market, and says they fear the substation will impact their health because of electromagnetic field exposure.
But demand for electricity is on the rise, and a new substation is needed, said David Lucore, systems manager with Electricities.
“There are developments going in all over time, not just the one across the road [from the proposed location], that are increasing the town’s electric needs,” Lucore said. “The stations that we have existing are running out of capacity.”
Lucore said it’s necessary to have the project completed by the end of 2025 to prevent electric overloads and blackouts.
Rowe said she and others feel it’s unfair for Pineville’s town council to make a decision that affects those outside of their jurisdiction.
“[The project] is closer to South Carolina homes than it is to North Carolina homes,” Rowe said. “We’re very worried about not only our children’s health but also our home values.”
Lucore said the proposed substation will not affect the health of nearby residents, citing the fact that other substations already exist near neighborhoods in Pineville. The town considered multiple other locations and determined this location was “the most economical and least obtrusive to the community,” according to Tuesday’s press release.
“If you take a look at the residential area that people are complaining about, Duke Energy has a high voltage line running right through the middle of it right now,” Lucore said. “The substation we're going to build is farther away from houses than that transmission line, so if there are health risks, they need to be talking to Duke about moving their lines as well.”
The town will hold a community meeting on Jan. 4 to present the plan to residents, explain how they chose this property and answer questions. Spitzer said a public hearing will be held in February at the earliest, which will be open for Pineville and Fort Mill residents to attend, before the town council votes on whether to purchase the land for the project.
Lindsey Banks is a staff reporter for the Ledger: lindsey@cltledger.com
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