PSO Brings In More Power Along Riverside For 'Gathering Place'

Public Service Company is wrapping up a project to replace two electric transmission lines across the Arkansas River.

It's connected to construction of "The Gathering Place," a new 66-acre public park along Riverside Drive.

The old lines hang underneath the pedestrian bridge, but the power company wants more capacity.

PSO spent about six weeks boring holes from the east side over to the west, and it will place capable of carrying 13,000 volts.

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There's only a mound of dirt left now, but workers essentially dug two small tunnels under the river that connect to the power plant on the west side.

"We bored underneath the river bed, 20 to 30 feet under the river in places, and those were really long bores – one 1,700 feet, the other 2,200 feet, so those were some challenging bores for us," PSO Vice President of Distribution Steve Baker said.

One line is at 21st Street, and the other is at 33rd Street and Riverside Drive.

It will not only serve the new park, but according to PSO, it also will improve the power grid for the neighborhood around it.