City welcomes TrAIL Blazers

Regional office for power line will be in Vets’ Plaza

Publication: Times West Virginian
Published: 07/27/2007
Byline: Katie Wilson

Kenny Construction Co. President John Kenny Jr. (from left), Allegheny Power President Dave Flitman and state Sen. Brooks McCabe collect their thoughts before announcing the construction company will open an office here in Fairmont. The company will build Allegheny Energy’s new transmission line. The proposed route will go from southern Pennsylvania through West Virginia and finishing in Virginia. Photo By Tammy Shriver

FAIRMONT — The city is playing a key role in providing energy to millions of people in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States.

City officials Thursday joined representatives of Allegheny Power to announce Kenny Construction Co.’s new office in Fairmont.

The Chicago-based company has leased office space at Veterans’ Square.

The move is all to help Allegheny Power build the proposed Trans-Allegheny Interstate Line (TrAIL), which is a high-powered electric line. The project has garnered protests in recent weeks and is currently projected to begin in southwestern Pennsylvania and extend 179 miles to northern Virginia. It is expected to travel through Monongalia County.

Allegheny Power spokesman Allen Staggers said the company is looking at alternate routes that may push the line’s location more to the south, possibly into Marion County.

Kenny Construction is providing Allegheny with project management services for engineering, right-of-way acquisition, construction, permitting and testing for the 500 kilovolt transmission line project. About 30 construction managers and other professionals will relocate to the Fairmont area. In addition, Kenny will supplement its workforce through local hiring and will recruit individuals through job fairs, career services offices and temporary agencies.

The TrAIL project will create an estimated 700 construction jobs for the next five years.

On Thursday, Fairmont Mayor Scott Sears officially welcomed Kenny Construction to the “family of Fairmont” and declared the city is “open for business.”

“I’m pleased Kenny has chosen Marion County for its construction headquarters, and I’m sure they’ll find great workers here,” Sears said.

Allegheny Power President Dave Flitman said his company currently employs about 400 people in Marion County and is pleased to be part of the revitalization of downtown Fairmont.

Flitman said the TrAIL project is essential to provide power and prevent rolling blackouts in the future. He said the line will take years to build.

“We like to talk about the economic development the line will create,” Flitman said.

He said during peak construction times, as many as 80 project managers will be working through Kenny’s Fairmont office, and as many as 700 workers will be employed to build the line.

Kenny Construction President John Kenny Jr. said the business is a family-owned enterprise that focuses on honesty, integrity and safety. The Chicago-based construction firm has completed projects throughout the United States and Canada.

“We know how to work with customers and the community,” Kenny said. “You will see me and my family here supporting the community.”