Marshall, Texas – Southwestern Electric Power Company (SWEPCO) recently launched its first grid enhancement project supported by the Texas Energy Fund in Marshall, Texas — the first step in a multi‑year effort to modernize electric infrastructure and strengthen reliability across East Texas and the Panhandle without adding costs to customers.
The work is part of a $200 million grant administered by the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) that Governor Greg Abbott announced earlier this month. The full project will upgrade approximately 700 miles of powerline infrastructure and improve nearly 200 circuits, ultimately enhancing reliability for nearly 193,000 Texas customers in 24 counties.
The Marshall project launches the first phase of replacing copper wire with stronger, more resilient aluminum‑alloy conductors and installing new utility poles designed to better withstand severe weather.
“When we analyzed our system, upgrading copper wire to more modern equipment stood out as an area that would have the biggest impact,” said Adam Keeth, SWEPCO Director of Distribution Engineering & Reliability. “By replacing it with modern aluminum‑alloy conductors and installing stronger poles, we’re building a system that can better withstand ice, wind, and long‑duration storms and deliver more reliable service to our customers.”
These upgrades will:
- Strengthen the local distribution network
- Improve storm resilience across SWEPCO’s Texas service area
- Support long‑term reliability for homes, schools, hospitals, and businesses
Work will continue across the region over the next several years, with the full project expected to be completed by early 2031. It will be coordinated with approximately 3,000 miles of vegetation management work already planned under a resiliency strategy.
Together, these efforts will modernize some of the oldest portions of the distribution system, rebuilding them to a more resilient, storm-hardened design within fully cleared rights-of-way.
