American Transmission Co. has plans for a high-voltage transmission line in western Wisconsin that would address electric system reliability issues locally and in the Midwest, provide economic savings and support renewable energy policy. The area, from north of La Crosse to northern Dane County, is being considered as a possible corridor for the approximately 150-mile, 345-kilovolt line.

ATC's studies indicate that the Badger Coulee Transmission Line Project is a multi-benefit project that would deliver benefits to Wisconsin and the Midwest region in three important ways:

Improve electric system reliability locally and regionally

• Better enable Wisconsin to import power
• Offset the need for approximately $180 million ($140 million in the ATC service area) in lower voltage upgrades in western Wisconsin communities
• Alleviate stability issues on regional transmission grid

Deliver economic savings for Wisconsin utilities and electric consumers

• Provide utilities with greater access to the wholesale electricity market with potential savings that can be passed on to electric consumers
• Improve efficiency of grid; more efficient grid reduces the cost to deliver energy
• Connect to high-quality renewable resources in the nation's western wind alley, which translates into hundreds of millions of dollars in potential savings

Expand infrastructure to support public policy for greater use of renewables

• Establish another pathway for renewable energy into Wisconsin with connections to key load centers
• Match regional studies (Strategic Midwest Area Transmission Study and Midwest ISO Regional Generation Outlet Study) evaluating transmission options that best deliver renewable energy while also addressing reliability issues

Public involvement

ATC has a practice of engaging the public and other interested stakeholders in its proposed transmission line projects as a way to identify possible routes far in advance of filing a regulatory application with the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin. While the studies are not yet completed on this project, ATC began engaging the public through open houses in fall 2010. Click here to learn more about ATC’s public involvement process.