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Project Updates
After more than five years of public involvement and regulatory review, the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin approved our Rockdale-West Middleton project, a 32-mile 345-kilovolt electric transmission line in Dane County. The line will run between substations in the towns of Middleton and Christiana along a route that generally follows the Beltline (Hwy. 12/18) and existing rights-of-way. Construction of the line, which will be built above ground, is expected to begin in summer 2011 and be in service in 2013.
As an outgrowth of a multi-state effort to connect more renewable resources to the transmission grid, we are studying the feasibility of several new high-voltage projects. The Upper Midwest Transmission Development Initiative, created by the governors of Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota and North and South Dakota, recently identified wind zones in the region and noted that renewable energy zones to the west need a strong tie to Wisconsin to move the energy to market. Three areas in Wisconsin are identified as requiring high-voltage additions to the transmission system, including
- La Crosse to Madison – 150 miles with ties to the Minnesota grid. This project would connect wind resources from the west and potentially provide system stability to the Twin Cities and Spring Green areas while also providing economic benefits to our customers.
- Madison to Dubuque – approximately 110 miles to connect wind resources from Iowa to markets to the east.
- Fox Valley – moving energy from land- and water-based wind generating sources to markets to the south.
As our planning studies for these projects continue, we will actively engage in public outreach with a stakeholder-driven process involving customers, landowners, local officials and others interested in participating. |
We soon will begin removing 112 wooden structures on the 345-kilovolt electric transmission line that runs between the Arpin Substation in the Town of Sherry and the Rocky Run Substation in Stevens Point. They will be replaced with steel H-frame structures. Before the Arrowhead-Weston line between Wausau, Wis., and Duluth, Minn., was energized, the Arpin-Rocky Run line could not be taken out of service for maintenance. With Arrowhead-Weston in service, we can de-energize the Arpin-Rocky Run while rebuilding it, saving more than a $1 million in project costs.
Did you know?
 We can’t help but crow – we received the Edison Award, the electric utility industry’s highest honor, from the Edison Electric Institute last month! EEI presents the award annually to recognize U.S. and international electric utilities for their innovation and role in advancing the industry. We received the award for placing the Arrowhead-Weston project in service in 2008, ahead of schedule and within the approved budget authorized by the Public Service Commission.
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If it’s summer, it’s time to look for the Karner blue butterfly! Our interns took to the field last month to conduct surveys of the Karner blue butterfly. About the size of a postage-stamp, the Karner blue is on the federal endangered species list. Karner caterpillars feed exclusively on the leaves of wild lupine, which grows in recently cleared areas, including transmission line rights-of-way. We are among a group of about 30 public and private landowners working in partnership to implement a statewide conservation plan that guides the management and monitoring of habitat on land occupied by the butterfly.
Customer Connections - Mark your Calendar
- Aug. 20 – Network customer meeting, ATC Madison office
- Sept. 16 – Upper Peninsula business briefing, Marquette, Mich.
- Nov. 19 – Network customer meeting, ATC Pewaukee office
ATC in the Community
Members of the Ko-Thi Dance Troupe in Milwaukee performed for our Pewaukee employees as part of the United Performing Arts Fund campaign. Ko-Thi, created in 1969, is dedicated to the preservation and performance of West African, Caribbean and African American dance and drumming. Our employees contributed more than $6,500 to the campaign, which supports 36 performance arts groups in the greater Milwaukee area. Employee contributions are matched by the company.
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.
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ATC is a Green Tier company, selected by the Wisconsin DNR for demonstrating superior environmental performance and continual improvement. |
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