Project Updates

Construction work slowed somewhat on several major projects last month as our alliance contractors sent work crews to Louisiana to help restore power to customers affected by Hurricane Gustav.  MJ Electric and Great Lakes Linebuilders sent 55 personnel south to aid in restoration; 29 of them were released from our projects.  We have long-term agreements with three general contractors to support our construction program. MJ Electric serves our north portfolio, The Boldt Co. supports our east portfolio and Kenny Construction serves the central portfolio.

An estimated $2.7 billion in work to maintain electric reliability has been identified in our recent 10-Year Transmission System Assessment. Of that amount, $1.3 billion is needed for new and upgraded transmission lines and associated equipment; $1.4 billion is needed for maintenance and replacement projects along with other, smaller network reliability improvements. We have invested $1.9 billion since beginning operations in 2001.

We introduced our 138-kilovolt Canal-Dunn Road project in Door County this month. Peak demand has increased dramatically in the area north of Sturgeon Bay, and we are proposing to build an eight-mile line between the Canal Substation in Sturgeon Bay and the Dunn Road Substation in the Town of Sevastopol.

The Rockdale-West Middleton 345-kV project in Dane County received a boost when it received an endorsement from the newly formed Coalition Organized for Reliable Energy.  CORE is comprised of major employers, labor unions, health care providers, farmers, area chambers of commerce, and numerous local and statewide trade associations.

Construction is about to begin on a new 138-kV transmission line between Jefferson Substation and Stony Brook Substation that will improve electric reliability in Jefferson County.  The project will improve the ability to provide continued electric service in the event of an outage on a portion of the network by creating an alternate path for electrical flow.  The project is a much-needed improvement in Jefferson County, where population has grown 14 percent since 1990 but has had no significant transmission system improvements in the past 15 years to accommodate the corresponding increase in electricity demand

ATC employees support United Way Our United Way campaign is in full swing. This year, we are featuring ways the United Way helps children in our communities through early childhood education, health care and shelter. In keeping with the theme, employees are hosting children’s fun-and-game events in our office locations to increase awareness of the need for community support.  ATC matches employees’ contributions at 25 percent.
Employees at the Pewaukee headquarters enjoyed a carnival- themed opportunity to contibute to United Way, complete with pizza, games and prizes.

Did you know?

Wind energy likely requires transmission system expansion

Five Midwestern states have formed the Upper Midwest Transmission Development

Initiative to advance regional transmission projects and cost-sharing. A number of states have established minimum standards for renewable energy – in Wisconsin, utility companies are required to have 10 percent of their generation portfolios come from renewable resources by 2015. Since wind resources are greater in Iowa and Minnesota, regional transmission solutions are necessary. Under this initiative, utility commissions in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota and South Dakota will work with other state agencies, transmission owners and key stakeholders to identify wind generation resources, transmission infrastructure needed to support those resources, and a proposed method for sharing transmission costs.

If it’s October… the Northwoods is ablaze in fall color.

The new North Lake Substation near Ishpeming, Mich., has been under construction for a year – without a recordable injury or first-aid incident!

The Iron Grove Substation near Iron River, Mich. will go into service in February 2009.