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ALLENTOWN, Pa., June 20, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --  Pre-construction activities for the Susquehanna-Roseland regional power line project will begin in the Scranton area in mid-July, PPL Electric Utilities said Wednesday (6/20), with line construction expected to start later this year.

Work generally will move west to east along the line route in Pennsylvania, in Luzerne, Lackawanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe counties. Meanwhile, Public Service Electric & Gas Co. crews will be working later this summer on the New Jersey portion of the project. The line is expected to be in service in time to meet peak summer electricity demand in 2015.

The Susquehanna-Roseland line will run from Berwick, Pa., to Roseland, N.J. The independent regional power grid operator, PJM Interconnection, ordered the new line to prevent overloads on other power lines. The project will create about 2,000 jobs during its three-year construction period.

The line will have significant benefits for electric customers in Pennsylvania and the surrounding region. It will include a new substation in the Scranton area that will provide additional, direct improvements to the reliability of electric service for homes and businesses in that region.

About 95 percent of the 145-mile route will follow the path of an existing power line, minimizing impacts on people and the environment. The new line is planned to cross the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area and the Appalachian National Scenic Trail on the path of an existing 85-year-old power line that must be replaced because it is approaching the end of its useful life.

The National Park Service is scheduled to complete its review of the project by October. The project also has been approved by the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission and the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities.

Pre-construction activities along the route in Pennsylvania will include removing trees and other vegetation from the right of way where necessary, and construction of access roads so construction crews can safely reach locations of the new poles. Later, crews will install foundations at pole locations, erect poles and string wires.

"At PPL Electric Utilities, we are committed to completing this important project safely, and with as little effect on the day-to-day activities of area residents as possible," said David Bonenberger, the company's general manager-Transmission and Substations. "We thank everyone in advance for their patience during the temporary inconvenience of construction."

Property owners along the line route will be contacted in advance of construction work, and will be kept informed of progress. More information for property owners is available on the project website, www.pplreliablepower.com/susquehanna-roseland. The company will host an informational open house for property owners along the portion of the route where preconstruction work will begin from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday, June 26, at the Newton Ransom Volunteer Fire Company, 1890 Newton Ransom Blvd., Clarks Summit, Pa.         

PPL Electric Utilities, a subsidiary of PPL Corporation (NYSE: PPL), provides electric delivery services to about 1.4 million customers in Pennsylvania and has consistently ranked among the best companies for customer service in the United States. More information is available at www.pplelectric.com.

SOURCE PPL Electric Utilities