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Board limits Mayo River power easement; asks AEP to study alternate routing
Summary
Patrick County supervisors approved an Appalachian Power easement only at the Sheriff's Office parcel while asking the utility to study routing that avoids the Mayo River Rail Trail; AEP cited "rough terrain" and maintenance-access concerns and said build-out is planned for early 2027.
The Patrick County Board of Supervisors on May 11 approved a request from Appalachian Power (AEP) for easements tied to the Mayo River Station distribution upgrade, but limited immediate approval to the parcel at the Sheriff's Office while asking the utility to explore alternate routing that would avoid the Mayo River Rail Trail.
Bailey Mann, Utilities Agent 2 with ORC Real Estate Solutions, told the board the Stuart station must be retired and reconducted lines will feed the new Mayo River Station. Mann explained upgrades require mid-span poles and that the proposed circuits will be single wooden distribution poles with double circuits at the top. He said the line was staked on the Sheriff’s Office parcel and that "build out would be planned for early 2027." Jonathan Wood and Chair Andrew Overby urged looking at AEP-owned land on the opposite side of the river to preserve the viewshed and the trail experience; Mann cautioned about the "rough terrain" there and the difficulty it would pose for maintenance access.
After discussion about preserving green space near the Rail Trail, Jonathan Wood moved to approve the easement request only at the Sheriff's Office parcel; the motion, seconded by Clayton Kendrick, carried unanimously with Steve Marshall recorded as absent. The Board also asked Mann to consult AEP engineers and formally evaluate siting the line on AEP-owned acreage despite the terrain challenges.
The decision narrows immediate permissions while keeping the county's preference — to minimize visual and recreational impacts along the Rail Trail — on the table as AEP completes its engineering and access analysis. The board recorded construction planning for the project to begin in early 2027, per the utility's timeline.
