PROJECT STATUS: Plan to file application with the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin in summer 2025.
Project Description
ATC plans to connect the existing Elm Road Substation in Oak Creek to the Racine Substation in Racine. This includes constructing three-and-a-half miles of new power line and reconfiguring roughly nine miles of existing power line to 345,000 volts.
The key elements of the project include:
- Building a new 3.5-mile, 345-kV line that would generally run south and west out of the Elm Road Substation and into the village of Caledonia.
- About 1.5 miles of the new 345-kV line would run along a single proposed route out of the Elm Road Substation.
- Nearly 2 miles of the new 345-kV line would run along one of two routes (called the preferred and alternative routes) we are proposing. Only one of these routes would be selected by the PSCW if it approves the power line project. Some adjustments may be required to existing lines in areas where the new lines would cross.
- Upgrading an existing, nearly 9-mile line to 345-kV using the structures and conductor wire that are already in place. Some construction may be required to connect the existing line to the new line on the north end and to the substation on the south end.
The project cost is approximately $57 million for the preferred route and $64M for the alternative route. The project was identified and approved by the Midcontinent Independent System Operator. Because it provides regional benefits the cost will be shared with energy consumers from multiple states – not just Wisconsin.
Project Need
The project is needed to reduce constraints on the electric grid, maintain reliability, support increasing demand for energy and provide access to lower-cost energy including renewable generation.
The project is subject to approval by the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin.
Additional information about the proposed project in Wisconsin can be found on the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin website, under docket number 137-CE-215.
