PPL Electric Utilities announced today that it plans to build a new 6-mile transmission line between Coopersburg and Quakertown so that the company can continue to provide reliable service to customers in the area.

"The power line that serves that area was built in 1925," said Kathy Frazier, regional community relations director for PPL Electric Utilities. "Since that time, there has been tremendous growth in southern Lehigh County and northern Bucks County.

"This line will allow us to deliver more electricity to that area and prevent the existing line from becoming overloaded in the future. The route we are proposing balances public interest, environmental effects, engineering and operating considerations, and construction costs," Frazier said.

PPL Electric Utilities will host a public open house for area residents from 4-7 p.m. Thursday, July 13 to discuss the proposed power line route and answer questions. The open house will be held at the Richland Township Fire and Rescue Company, 64 Shelly Road.

The company held a similar open house in August 2005 to discuss the need for a new transmission line. Since then, the company has considered several potential line routes.

The new 138,000-volt line would extend through portions of Upper Saucon Township in Lehigh County and Springfield and Richland townships in Bucks County.

Frazier said the company plans to submit its preferred line route to the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission later this year for approval. She said improvements are needed by the end of 2009 to prevent the existing power line from becoming overloaded.

PPL Electric Utilities estimates the project will cost about $12 million.

PPL Electric Utilities Corporation, a subsidiary of PPL Corporation that provides electricity delivery services to about 1.4 million customers in Pennsylvania, has consistently ranked among the best companies for customer service in the United States. Headquartered in Allentown, Pa., PPL Corporation (NYSE: PPL) controls about 11,500 megawatts of generating capacity in the United States, sells energy in key U.S. markets and delivers electricity to more than 5 million customers in Pennsylvania, the United Kingdom and Latin America. More information is available at www.pplweb.com.