Project overview - conversion from 69 kilovolts to 138 kilovolts

ATC converted about 73 miles of existing lines between Lakota Road and Quinnesec, Mich., from 69 kilovolts to 138 kilovolts. The upgraded liens were placed in service in March 2010.

The electric transmission infrastructure serving northern Wisconsin and the western Upper Peninsula of Michigan needed reinforcement due to significant growth in the Rhinelander/Eagle River area, which resulted in an overloaded system vulnerable to interruptions and even blackouts under severe conditions. The lines to the east that connect northern Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula were also among the most severely constrained in the ATC system, limiting our  ability to move power in and out of the Upper Peninsula. Also see related: Cranberry - Conover Project

At a glance
Communities affected: Conover and Florence, Wis.; Iron River and Quinnesec, Mich.; improved reliability will benefit northern Wisconsin and the western areas of the Upper Peninsula
Length of line: 73-miles of existing transmission line
End points: Conover Substation to Plains Substation in Quinnesec

Voltage: Conover-Plains upgrade from 69-kilovolts to 138-kilovolts
Status of project: Construction began Feb. 2008; placed in service March 2010

Schedule

File construction application to PSC: November 2005
Regulatory review and public comment: Late 2005
Project approval from PSC: November 2006
Anticipated start of construction: January 2008 (Conover-Plains)
In-service: March 2010 (Conover-Plains)