Craggy-Enka Reliability Project

Project Overview

At Duke Energy, we're committed to making continued improvements that expand the delivery of more reliable, affordable and cleaner energy to our customers in the Asheville region. Over the past 20 years, the Asheville region has grown and so has the need for reliable energy. That’s why we’re making infrastructure improvements to help ensure our customers have affordable, reliable and cleaner energy. The Craggy-Enka Reliability Project will upgrade an existing transmission line and add a new 230-kilovolt transmission line within the existing easement area in western Buncombe County to meet the growing energy needs of the region. In addition, we will upgrade several substations to strengthen the electric grid serving the community. These critical upgrades will also support the addition of renewable energy for Duke Energy customers throughout the region.

Community Benefits

These grid investments will help our customers in many ways now and for many years to come.

Meet Growing Energy Demand in the Region
Reduce Outages and Strengthen Reliability
Minimize Impact Using Existing Easement Area
Help Promote Cleaner Sources of Energy

Grid Improvement Overview

Learn more about the structures and work involved in an energy grid improvement project. See how the structures connect and what work needs to be done in order to make these important improvements.

Infographic showing path of a transmission line right of way.

View PDF

Project Comparison Tool

See what the new transmission structures will look like in the Craggy-Enka corridor.

Photo showing the original style of transmission poles used in the Craggy Enka project.

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Photo showing the style of transmission poles used after completion of the Craggy Enka project.

Photos showing the type of transmission poles used before and after completion of the project with a single-pole design.

Project Timeline*

The Craggy-Enka Reliability Project is a 9-mile project to update and construct transmission structures within an existing easement and make upgrades to existing substations. Work began in April 2021 and will be conducted in phases, with completion in 2025. Here's a look at typical project activities:

*This is a working timeline. There may be lulls between phases, and weather delays could affect the timing of the construction activities.

See Our Interactive Map

See the path of the existing transmission lines and where grid improvements will be made.

Pittsboro project map thumbnail showing transmission line routing

View interactive map.

Watch Videos to Discover More

About the Craggy-Enka Reliability Project‌
Duke Energy's Michael Wojnarowski provides an overview of the company's Craggy-Enka Reliability Project.
Benefits to the Community‌
The Craggy-Enka Reliability Project will help meet greater demand and improve reliability.
The Energy Superhighway‌
Learn about the importance of transmission infrastructure and how it plays a vital role in powering our communities.
Maintenance of Easement Areas‌
Learn about easements and what’s deemed a safe and appropriate use of the property.
Preconstruction Activities‌
Learn what occurs during the preconstruction phase of an electric transmission project.
Vegetation Management‌
See why it’s important to keep easement areas free and clear of any vegetation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Engineers and planners use growth and energy usage projections, as well as continuous monitoring of the electric system, to identify the need for improvements to the system that serves our customers in Asheville and Buncombe County. Since it can take several years to plan, develop, engineer and construct a project, we begin the process in advance to help ensure the new facilities are in place and ready to meet customers’ energy needs.
The Craggy-Enka Reliability Project will help improve the reliability and resiliency of the energy supply in the Asheville area – helping avoid outages and speed restoration when an outage does occur – especially during periods of severe weather and high customer demand for electricity.

It will significantly increase the electric transmission capacity in the area, without having to develop a new transmission corridor – helping to carry the energy needed to power homes, industry, schools, hospitals, city and county services, neighboring electric utilities and critical public infrastructure. The line and substation improvements will continue to provide a more secure, continuous, reliable flow of electricity to customers and provide more flexibility to reroute electricity in the event of a power outage, helping restore power faster.
- May-July 2021 – Environmental, land and structure surveying
- June-September 2021 – Soil boring along the line route
- Summer 2021-Fall 2023 – Construction at Enka substation
- Summer 2022-December 2025 – Easement area construction and vegetation management
- Spring 2023-Fall 2024 – Construction at Craggy substation
- 2023-2025 – Restoration of easement area

Additional Resources

We want to hear from you

Your feedback is important to us. We will provide updates throughout the project, but if you have questions or need more information, please call 888.385.3408 or email CraggyEnka@duke-energy.com. We will respond to you in a timely fashion, answering any concerns or questions you may have.