Northeast Oklahoma Transmission Project Raises Landowner Concerns

Northeast Oklahoma Transmission Project Raises Concerns Among Rural Landowners

Dozens of rural residents gathered in Welch, Oklahoma, Thursday night to learn more about a proposed transmission project that could bring 100- to 135-foot power structures across private property in northeast Oklahoma.

The Northeast Oklahoma Transmission Enhancement Project, known as NEOTEP, would add approximately 100 miles of new electric transmission infrastructure as part of a broader regional effort involving Oklahoma, Kansas and Missouri.

AEP Oklahoma Transmission Company, or OK Transco, says the project is needed to improve electric reliability and strengthen the regional power grid. Some landowners, however, are concerned about the potential effects on farmland, cattle operations, aviation activity and property values.

Northeast Oklahoma Transmission Project Would Cross Rural Property

The proposed project would significantly expand electric transmission infrastructure across portions of northeast Oklahoma.

OK Transco is considering single steel poles or steel lattice towers for the project. Typical structures would stand approximately 100 to 135 feet tall.

The transmission corridor would generally require a 150-foot-wide right-of-way, with individual structures spaced approximately 850 to 1,300 feet apart.

For some property owners, that could mean transmission infrastructure crossing substantial portions of land currently used for agriculture and other rural operations.

One landowner attending Thursday’s meeting said the proposed line would cross approximately one mile of his property, where he has concerns about the impact on both aviation and cattle operations.

Information about the project, proposed routes and the development process is available through the NEOTEP project website.

OK Transco Says Project Will Strengthen Regional Electric Grid

OK Transco says the project was mandated by the Southwest Power Pool, the regional transmission organization responsible for overseeing portions of the electric grid across 17 states.

According to the company, NEOTEP is intended to improve electric reliability and resiliency, reduce the frequency and duration of outages and strengthen the region’s ability to deliver electricity during extreme weather.

The project is also intended to improve access to lower-cost electricity in eastern portions of the Southwest Power Pool system, including northeast Oklahoma.

The Southwest Power Pool coordinates regional transmission planning and manages the wholesale electric grid across its multistate service territory.

OK Transco expects construction on the Northeast Oklahoma project to begin in summer 2028 and continue through late 2029.

Before construction begins, however, the proposed routes must move through state regulatory review.

Landowners Can Submit Comments to Oklahoma Corporation Commission

Final proposed routes for the project's East and West segments were submitted to the Oklahoma Corporation Commission during summer 2026.

OK Transco filed its proposed route for the Delaware-to-Monett segment, known as NEOTEP East, with the commission on August 21.

The regulatory process gives affected residents an opportunity to follow the case and provide public comments as commissioners consider the proposal.

Landowners at Thursday’s meeting expressed concerns that permanent transmission structures and rights-of-way could affect property values, agricultural operations and future uses of their land.

The size of the proposed infrastructure has become a particular concern. Structures reaching as high as 135 feet could remain on private property for decades if the project receives approval and is constructed along the proposed route.

The Oklahoma Corporation Commission oversees regulated utilities in the state and provides information about commission cases, hearings and opportunities for public participation.

For northeast Oklahoma residents potentially affected by the project, the debate now centers on balancing the region's need for a more reliable electric grid against the long-term impact new transmission infrastructure could have on rural landowners and communities.

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