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Project Updates
Electric reliability and efficiency of the transmission system in central and northeastern Wisconsin was significantly improved in September when the final segment of a 105-mile 345-kilovolt project was energized. The last leg of the Morgan-Werner West transmission line that runs between Oconto Falls and New London completed a five-year effort to expand capacity and improve reliability. The project included a line from the Wausau area to Shawano, as well as a 138-kV line from New London to Clintonville. A portion of the project was energized in June, which facilitated more efficient maintenance and upgrade work to other lines in the area. When the project was completely energized in September, we saw immediate improvement in the reduction of line losses – about 14 megawatts, the equivalent output of eight large wind turbines.
A 17-mile 138-kV line in Jefferson and eastern Dane counties also was placed into service recently, providing much-needed reinforcement to a portion of the system that has not had significant improvements in 15 years. The line connects the Stony Brook Substation in Waterloo with the Jefferson Substation outside Jefferson.
More than 100 people attended a second open house on our Milton project earlier this month. Local residents and officials from the Milton area reviewed and commented on possible routes for a new, three-to six-mile 69-kV transmission line to connect Rock Energy Cooperative’s new Red Hawk Substation to the transmission grid that serves the area. The project is needed to support the growth of the Milton industrial park and improve the reliability of the electric transmission system that serves the area.
Construction continues along the Paddock-Rockdale 345-kV transmission line in Dane and Rock counties in Wisconsin. The line is the first of its kind in the Midwest – while the line will enhance reliability, economics drove the decision to build. Local utilities will save through improved access to the wholesale electric market. Here, wood mats are used to protect a large wetland complex from the effects of heavy machinery. |
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Our 2009 10-Year Assessment is available in print and on our web site. The report identified the need for $2.5 billion in investment in new lines, system upgrades and asset renewal projects over the next 10 years.
Additional investment may be likely as several major planning initiatives are underway, focused on regional transmission support to move wind energy from where it is generated to areas where the power is needed. |
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Did you know?
The fall season means that right-of-way vegetation maintenance work is being performed in corridors across our footprint. In summer, crews apply herbicide to corridor vegetation, but that work wraps up when the leaves start to fall. We typically remove trees and brush during the fall and winter months, following by herbicide application beginning in late spring to prevent re-growth. During the winter of 2008-09, we concentrated most of our vegetation management efforts on our highest voltage 345-kV lines because trees in these rights-of-way represent the greatest risk to safety and reliability. With the introduction of new federal reliability standards that call for more robust vegetation management programs, we have embarked on an aggressive program to help ensure the safe and reliable operation of our high-voltage facilities. “Wide-spread, regional outages like the one that occurred on the east coast several years ago are a real threat,” says Duane Schoon, our manager of asset maintenance. “We know that removing trees is a departure from past practices and is not popular among property owners, but we have a responsibility as a utility to operate our power lines in a safe, reliable manner.”
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| Trees and vegetation are removed from transmission line rights-of-way during the fall and winter months. |
Customer Connections - Mark your Calendar
- Nov. 19 – Network customer meeting, ATC Pewaukee office
ATC in the Community
Long-time Boy Scout and fan of the outdoors, Kyle Vogt used his Eagle Scout project to build a boardwalk through ATC-owned land to increase his community’s access to the nearby "Bug Line" recreational trail near Sussex, Wis. Kyle headed up a team of friends and neighbors and built the boardwalk last fall and earned the rank of Eagle Scout in August. |
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The Ozaukee Interurban Trail bike bridge over Interstate 43 in Grafton officially opened in early October. We were a major donor to the $1.76 million project. Several transmission lines along portions of the 29.5-mile trail were upgraded in recent years.
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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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