Project Updates

The last foundation has been poured and the last poles are being set on the Conover-Plains project – an effort to rebuild and upgrade about 70 miles of 69-kilovolt lines in northern Wisconsin and Upper Michigan. The project is scheduled to go into service in March two months ahead of schedule and 12 percent under budget.

Helicopters were used to expedite work in stringing and installing components of the Paddock-Rockdale 345-kV line in Dane and Rock counties. Not only did it save money, it better protected the environment. By accessing the line via helicopter, fewer timber mats were needed for construction equipment. Soild disturbance was minimized, which will make restoration easier this spring.

Did you know?

It was so cold in the southern US this January that several utilities set peak demand records for electricity, exceeding levels used to run air conditioners on hot, muggy summer days. Tampa Electric set a demand record of 4,742 megawatts of electricity on Jan. 10, surpassing the old record of 4,327 MW set on Aug. 20, 2007. Atlanta-based Southern Co. said its customers used 37,224 MW of electricity that same day, surpassing its 2009 summer peak demand of 36,505 MW.

Customer Connections

ATC hosts Network Customer Meetings three times per year. 2010 meetings will occur from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. on the dates listed below.  A teleconference option will also be available for those unable to attend in person. 

Thursday, Aug. 12 – De Pere, WI

Thursday, Dec. 9  – Pewaukee, WI

ATC in the Community

We are once again helping sponsor the Badger State Winter Games in Wausau this year – a three-weekend cavalcade of amateur sports, including hockey, downhill and cross-country skiing, snowmobile racing and more. Indoor activities, including archery and billiards tournaments, also are planned.  As sponsor of volunteers, we will support more than 1,700 individuals who give their time to assist the 4,000 athletes who are expected to participate in the Olympic-style competition.

We were honored to receive an award of excellence in January from Operation Action U.P., a private-public economic development organization that supports business in 15 counties in northern Michigan. We were cited for not only the half-billion dollar investment we have made in transmission infrastructure that supports the Upper Peninsula, but also for our efforts with the U.P. Energy Collaborative. The Collaborative includes a broad range of customers and other stakeholders engaged in the assessment of needs and evaluation of transmission solutions in the Upper Peninsula

One person’s trash….. Our De Pere office conducted a “regifting” campaign during the recent holiday season.  Employees were encouraged to contribute used cell phones, glasses and athletic shoes for recycling. Shortly after the new year began, 34 cell phones were donated to Golden House Domestic Violence Shelter for emergency 911 calls; 31 pairs of shoes were headed for a new life as part of a court, track or playground surface; and 29 pairs of glasses were sent for distribution to those in need in developing countries where eye care is either inaccessible or unaffordable.

Safety Makes Perfect Sense
A series of 39 meetings focusing on safe excavating near transmission lines is underway across Wisconsin. Most contractors are aware of gas, water and electric distribution lines when undertaking construction, but many are unfamiliar with the different code clearances required for working safely around transmission facilities. At the meetings, ATC representatives show a video and distribute literature that describe how to operate near our facilities for personal and system protection.

Invite an ATC representative to speak to your group

Let us tell you and your service group or professional organization more about ATC. Simply e-mail us at localrelations@atcllc.com and indicate a topic area you're interested in, such as new projects, environmental commitment, vegetation management or electric transmission. We'll work with you to schedule a speaker for an upcoming meeting.   

ATC is a Green Tier company, selected by the Wisconsin DNR for demonstrating superior environmental performance and continual improvement.