Indiana Michigan Power readies for $92 million rebuilding project

GRANGER, Ind. -- With a cost of almost $100 million and a timeline of about three years, Indiana Michigan Power is preparing to overhaul miles of transmission lines that stand throughout Michiana.

The project is set to start in Spring 2019 and will be completed by Spring 2022.

Aging lattice structures, that carry high voltage power lines throughout the area, will be replaced by steel monopoles that are 120-feet tall.

According to I&M, the new structures and accompanying wires will help cut down on restoration times and lessen the number of outages in a storm.

“The reason why we’re investing $92 million into this area is because we want to ensure reliable service for our customers,” said Schnee Garrett, a spokesperson with I&M. “And by upgrading 46 miles of our line, we can ensure that reliable service to our customers.”

This map shows how the project will start in Granger and work its way through Berrien and Cass counties, ending up in the Benton Harbor-St. Joe area.

Without these high voltage lines, Garrett said the smaller utility poles you see around a neighborhood would not receive the power needed to light your home.