Major Work Underway in Plains - Amberg - Stiles & Amberg - West Marinette Projects

The Plains-Amberg-Stiles and Amberg-West Marinette projects will significantly improve transmission service in Wisconsin and Michigan's Upper Peninsula. The work on the Plains-Amberg-Stiles segment will alleviate transmission system constraints. Currently, the condition of this segment severely restricts transmission service in the northern portion of ATC's service territory. The associated work on the Amberg-West Marinette segment was completed in November 2005 and improved the reliability of the transmission system.

These projects are involved and encompass major substation and line work. Included are

• major upgrades at Plains, Amberg, Crivitz and Stiles Substations;
• complete rebuild of 65 miles of double circuit 138 kV transmission lines from Plains to Stiles Substations;
• construction of the new Holmes Substation (near White Rapids Hydro) and Ingalls Substation (near Grand Rapids Hydro);
• upgrades at White Rapids, Grand Rapids, Bay de Noc, Menominee and West Marinette Substations;
• removal of Rosebush Substation; and
• conversion of 45 miles of 69 kV circuit from Amberg to West Marinette to a 138 kV circuit with Menominee to West Marinette as double circuit 69/138 kV.

The Plains-Amberg substation and transmission line work started in early 2005 and was place in service on October 17. To support the rebuild of this line, a temporary line adjacent to the existing transmission line from Plains to Amberg was built in early 2005. This temporary line has been transferred to the new permanent structures, the temporary wood poles have been removed, and right-of-way clean-up is in progress. ATC anticipates that this work will be completed in February 2006.

The Amberg-West Marinette transmission line and substation work also started in early 2005 and has been placed into service in stages throughout the summer and fall, with the last segment being placed into service on November 30.

The final stage of this large project started on December 5 when ATC began rebuilding the Amberg-Crivitz-Stiles double circuit 138 kV line. The Amberg-Crivitz rebuild is anticipated to be completed by June 2, 2006. The Crivitz- Stiles rebuild will be completed by December 1, 2006.

ATC Project Manager Duane Schoon explained, "This is a complex project that has required significant cooperation from and coordination with local distribution companies, local communities, landowners, and various construction contractors. With the completion of the project in late 2006, the capabilities and reliability of transmission system in northeast Wisconsin and Michigan's Upper Peninsula will be greatly improved."