ATC

American Transmission Co. and Rock Energy Cooperative announce route for new Milton-area power line

A portion of the line to follow realigned Highway 26 right-of-way

PEWAUKEE, Wis. – After months of study and gathering input from area landowners and public officials, American Transmission Co. and Rock Energy Cooperative have identified a route for a new 69-killovolt electric transmission line to serve the Milton area.

The new ATC-owned electric transmission line will be approximately 4 miles long and will bring power to a new substation Rock Energy Cooperative plans to build near the Milton Industrial Park. “We are pleased to be moving forward with this project,” says Denny Schultz, representative of Rock Energy Cooperative. “This line will benefit the area greatly by meeting the growing need for reliable electric service in the area and by supporting the continued growth of the Milton Industrial Park.”

ATC introduced the preliminary route corridors to the public in August 2009 and held two public open houses to gather input on possible routes. “Throughout the past several months we have worked closely with landowners, businesses and public officials to identify a suitable route for this new line,” says Jon Callaway, senior local relations representative for ATC. “The participation of Milton-area citizens in this process has been invaluable in helping to identify the best route option, one that that offers reduced impacts on both the community and the environment.”

The next steps over the next several months, according to Callaway, involve pre-construction activities such as securing local permits, surveying, environmental and archeological review and soil testing. “In addition, we’ll be working with affected property owners to secure easements. We expect to begin construction of the power line next fall,” he adds.

The approximately $5.3 million line will connect an existing 69-kilovolt transmission line that runs parallel to County Highway Y to a new Rock Energy Cooperative substation near the intersection of Harmony Milton Town Line Road and County Highway M. The western part of the new line will be mostly on agricultural land; the remainder of the line will follow Town Line Road, the future site of the realigned Highway 26 and County Highway M.

Note to editor: A map of the route is available on our Web site at www.atc-projects.com.

Delgado announces retirement from American Transmission Co.

PEWAUKEE, Wis. – As the founder and first chief executive of the utility that has become a national leader in building electric transmission infrastructure, José M. Delgado, executive chairman of American Transmission Co., has announced his plans to retire effective Feb. 28, 2010, after 10 years with the company. John C. Procario was hired in April as president and chief executive officer and will succeed Delgado as chairman of the board.

Delgado was named CEO of ATC in late 1999 to form and lead the first multi-state transmission-only utility in the United States with assets in four states: Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota and Illinois.

Since ATC became operational on Jan. 1, 2001, the company has grown from $500 million in assets to $2.5 billion today. Under Delgado’s leadership, ATC invested more than $2 billion in transmission infrastructure to improve electric system reliability and provide better access to power. The company has built and upgraded more than 1,800 miles of transmission lines including the 220-mile Arrowhead-Weston transmission line from Wausau, Wis., to Duluth, Minn. Overcoming considerable public opposition, ATC completed this project safely, within budget and ahead of schedule while delivering significant electrical, environmental and economic benefits to the region. For this project, ATC was recognized with the Edison Electric Institute’s 2009 Edison Award – considered the industry’s highest honor.

Delgado established a strong environmental ethic at ATC. In 2005, the company became the first utility in Wisconsin to receive the Green Tier designation from the Department of Natural Resources for demonstrating superior environmental performance. In 2009, the company’s new corporate headquarters was built with water reclamation, solar power and other sustainable features and aims at a gold LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) designation from the U.S. Green Building Council.

In assessing his career at the helm of ATC, Delgado said, “The transmission grid is in much better shape than when we started operations in 2001. That was one of the major reasons for our formation. We resolved the limitations affecting electric operations in our region, improving reliability and access, and delivering significant economic and environmental benefits, as well.”

He added, “On nearly 60 transmission line projects, ATC developed a reputation for communicating openly and treating the public fairly, and for our expertise in planning, siting and building transmission. Our employees have operated the system expertly as well. Now, John Procario and our staff are ready to take ATC to the next level.”

Prior to the formation of ATC, Delgado spent 27 years at Wisconsin Electric Power Co. (d.b.a. We Energies) starting as an electrical engineer and ending as vice president of Electric System Operations.

Delgado, a recognized leader in the electric industry, has served in numerous positions and organizations within the industry. He was the first chairman of the North American Electric Reliability Corp.’s Transmission Owners and Operators Forum. He has been co-chair of EEI’s CEO Reliability Committee and vice president of the Association of Edison Illuminating Companies. He also has served on the Industry Leaders Council of the Consortium for Electric Reliability Technology Solutions (the advisory board to the Department of Energy laboratories). He is a member of the Department of Energy’s Electric System Reliability Task Force.

Earlier, Delgado was president of MAIN, the former regional reliability council for eastern Wisconsin, Illinois and western Missouri, and a trustee of NERC, as well as other positions on committees within the utility industry.

He is an alumnus of Marquette University and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.