Once the project finishes, work area to be restored

A spokeswoman for Duke Energy says her company’s response to send workers to repair Ida hurricane damage does not impact its ongoing project to lay new utility lines along SC 188 on and beyond a Lake Keowee bridge. In fact, says Mikayla Kreuzberger, “We have recently successfully completed a significant phase of the construction effort and are now transitioning to the next phase of construction.”  In the next few weeks, workers will mobilize equipment and start removing vegetation on the side of the highway between the existing power lines and Keowee School Road.  That work is to start at Duke’s line crossing near Shoreline Drive and continue to the four-way stop.  Over a six-week period, new overhead lines and poles will be installed.  Kreuzberger cautions:  “While the vegetation removal is taking place, there will be traffic restrictions to ensure the safe operations of the machinery doing the work in a challenging space”.   As far as the looks of what’s taking place, Duke’s plans call for the planting of native species of trees and other vegetation that will attract pollinators.  Hardy-type vegetation is also seen as an aid to act as a sound buffer and to discourage lake-goers from parking in the area.