Following years of debate, the Ohio Power Siting Board is scheduled to meet in Columbus on Thursday to decide whether to approve a new electric transmission line project in Youngstown and Campbell. The meeting will begin at 1:30 p.m. at the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio offices.

The board will consider an application from American Transmission Systems, Incorporated (ATSI), which is a subsidiary of FirstEnergy. The company is asking for a certificate to build the Youngstown 138 kV Reinforcement Project. This project includes building an electric transmission line about 6 miles long between Lincoln Park and Riverbend substations.

If approved, the project would change how electricity moves through the local grid. The company says the new line is necessary to improve the reliability of electric service for about 15,000 customers in the area. ATSI states the project is the least impactful option to resolve voltage drops and provide for future capacity. Plans for the work have been under review for several years.

An earlier version of the plan in 2022 faced heavy criticism from the community. At that time, many residents opposed the plan to run the line near the Youngstown Foundation Amphitheatre. Following those complaints, the company changed the proposed path of the line to address concerns from the public.

In addition, the utility poles will not be as tall as those previously proposed.

Despite the changes, some residents still have concerns about the project. During a public hearing held in December, several people spoke against the plan. Some residents said they were worried that the large utility poles and lines would lower their property values. Others expressed concerns about the environment.

One resident told the board that she was worried about how the construction would affect the trees in Lincoln Park. She noted that the community is trying to grow its tree canopy and feared the project could hurt those efforts. Other people who spoke at the hearing questioned whether the project was truly needed, noting that the population in the area has been shrinking.

The board has spent several months gathering evidence and testimony to make its decision. This process included a formal investigation by the board staff, and an evidentiary hearing held in late December. During that hearing, experts from the company and the state presented technical documents and answered questions about the environmental and public impact of the project.

According to case records, ATSI and the board staff filed a joint recommendation on December 17. The document suggests that both sides have reached an agreement on how the project should move forward if the board gives its approval. The agreement includes 25 specific conditions that ATSI must follow.

Under these conditions, ATSI must have a staff-approved environmental specialist on site during construction in sensitive areas like wetlands and streams. To protect bat species, tree removal is limited to between October 1 and March 31. ATSI is also required to file a complaint resolution plan and notify residents within one mile of the project area before construction begins. General work is limited to the hours of 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., while louder activities like pile driving are restricted from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on weekdays.

The board members will use the information, along with the comments from the public, to make their final choice. The Ohio Power Siting Board is responsible for reviewing and approving large energy projects in the state to ensure they meet the needs of the public and protect the environment.

The board's decision on Thursday will determine if the company can begin the next steps of construction or if it must make further changes to its plans.