DE PERE, Wis. – American Transmission Co. will present proposed and alternate route options for a new 138-kilovolt power line as part of its Bay Lake Project at an open house June 5, 2013. The line between the Holmes Substation in Menominee County and an Escanaba-area substation is needed to improve electric reliability in the area.

“The Bay Lake project has changed somewhat since we announced it last year,” said Brett French, external relations manager. “We originally proposed two lines from Holmes to the Escanaba area but, late last year, it was determined that only one line would be needed for the foreseeable future.”

That change required the project team to re-evaluate preliminary routes that had been presented to landowners and other interested parties last fall. During the last six months, route options were identified that maximized the opportunities to co-locate with existing transmission lines, thus minimizing the amount of new right-of-way required. The proposed routes maximize the use of existing transmission line corridors and an abandoned railroad corridor. If the project is approved, the final route will be selected by the Michigan Public Service Commission. An open house will be held:

Wednesday, June 5
Island Resort & Casino
W399 U.S. Highway 2
Harris, Mich.
1 to 7 p.m., EDT

No formal presentation is planned; interested parties are urged to drop in at their convenience.

Additional information, including maps and fact sheets, is available at www.BayLakeProject.com

DE PERE, Wis. – American Transmission Co. has identified proposed route options for transmission lines in Outagamie, Brown and Oconto counties.

The facilities, first announced as part of the Bay Lake Project in April 2012, are needed to address electric reliability concerns in northeastern Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Elements of the project proposed for northeastern Wisconsin include new substation facilities located at the site of the company’s North Appleton Substation on French Road in the Town of Freedom, and a 345,000-volt and a 138,000-volt line between the North Appleton and Morgan substations.

“Using feedback received from the public at open houses last year, along with computer modeling and other data and analysis, we have determined that the best location for the new substation facilities is at our North Appleton site,” explained David Hovde, ATC local relations consultant. “Similar information was used to identify route options for the transmission lines.”

Landowners whose property may be affected by the lines are being notified, and open houses are scheduled to talk with property owners and other interested parties about the proposals. Open houses will run from 1 to 7 p.m. on the following days and locations:

Wednesday, May 8                          Thursday, May 9
Oconto Falls Senior Center                 The Colonial House Supper Club
512 Caldwell Ave.                               N4330 County Road E      
Oconto Falls, Wis.                             Freedom, Wis.

ATC intends to file an application with the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin for the facilities in early 2014.

The Bay Lake Project also includes a new 138,000-volt line in Michigan, from the Holmes Substation in Menominee County to a substation in Escanaba. An open house for that project is scheduled for June. 

More project information, including an interactive map, is available on the project website, www.BayLakeProject.com, and a toll-free landowner hotline also has been established for the project: 855-831-5853.

ATC contracted the services of Chemair Helicopters of Jefferson, Wis., to patrol the transmission system, which covers portions of Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota and Illinois. The patrols are expected to be completed by the end of April, weather permitting.

Crews will inspect the lines by flying approximately 10 feet above the wires, and they will avoid flying over livestock where possible. Schedules may vary due to weather, but crews are expected to be in the following areas this month:

• Early April: Southeast Wisconsin; Appleton and Green Bay areas
• Mid-April: Central Wisconsin, southwest Wisconsin and Dane County
• Late April: Northern Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan

ATC conducts helicopter patrols two or three times a year to detect potential problems that can be corrected to avoid unplanned power outages. Aerial inspections allow crews to reach secluded or difficult-to-reach lines and identify potential problems such as damaged lines or insulators, or tree limbs that could fall, damage equipment and cause power outages. Many of ATC’s 9,440 miles of transmission lines are located in relatively remote areas of Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, and it is difficult and time consuming for crews to reach these areas by vehicle or on foot.

Note to editors: A map showing the locations ATC’s transmission facilities is available at www.atcllc.com.

PEWAUKEE, Wis. – American Transmission Co. on Wednesday received a final written order from the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin authorizing construction of two new 138-kilovolt transmission lines needed to improve electric system reliability in western Milwaukee County.

The approved project involves construction of two transmission lines and a new substation planned by We Energies near Watertown Plank Road and 93rd Street, adjacent to the existing We Energies Milwaukee County power plant and substation. Approximately 90 percent of the ordered routes is on municipal or public property and less than 10 percent is on private or commercial property.

The new substation and transmission lines are needed to respond to the area’s growing electric needs and the critical nature of the Level 1 adult and pediatric trauma centers located within the Milwaukee Regional Medical Center complex. The medical center calls for a higher level of electric service reliability, one that includes a backup source for electricity in the event one of the two lines experiences an outage.

The project was announced to the public in October 2010. ATC held three open houses and company representatives attended more than 150 meetings to gather feedback and comments from area landowners, businesses, community organizations and local officials. ATC in February 2012 filed an application with the PSC to construct the project.  “We appreciate the efforts taken by the public to ensure their voices were heard by the Commission,” said Mary Carpenter, ATC local relations consultant. “We will continue to keep the public informed throughout the coming stages of the project.”

Construction of the line is planned to start in summer 2014, and the line is expected to be in service in spring 2015. The PSC-approved cost for ATC’s portion of the project is approximately $22.7 million.

Note to editors: A map and additional information about the project is available at http://www.atc-projects.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/MilwaukeeCountyApproved-RoutesMarch2013.pdf.

MADISON, Wis. —American Transmission Co. has energized the completed 32-mile, 345-kilovolt Rockdale-West Middleton Transmission Line.

The project was first introduced to the public in 2004, kicking off with a comprehensive outreach effort which included 22 public meetings attended by 3,300 people over three years. More than 2,600 written comments were submitted by stakeholders and included in the company’s application to the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin.

Much of the stakeholder input centered around environmental and visual impacts along the proposed routes. In 2009, after nearly two years of regulatory review, the PSC ordered a portion of the line to be built along the environmentally sensitive, highly visible and heavily travelled Beltline Highway in Madison, Wis.

Brian Fischer, Rockdale-West Middleton project manager, pointed to the company’s coordinated performance on multiple fronts during the past four years of planning, design and construction as evidence of the project’s success. “Our project team’s practice of collaboration and taking into account all factors—rather than considering each area or stage separately—resulted in unique solutions that saved time, money and minimized environmental impacts,” said Fischer.

• Schedule: Construction and energization was completed four months ahead of schedule
• Budget: Project came in 30 percent under the budget set by the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin
• Construction innovation: Helicopter structure setting and helical pier foundations in the Yahara Wetlands
• Maximizing right-of-way and minimizing aesthetic impacts: Used five different pole types and a variety of conductor configurations in order to “thread the needle” through a congested urban area
• Collaboration: Worked with nine municipalities and 179 landowners—reaching easement agreements with 97 percent of the landowner
• Protecting the environment:
• 30 waterways and 5.6 miles of wetlands crossed and only 0.054 acre of wetlands lost
• 5 miles of mats used to preserve wetlands and protect agricultural lands
• Excellent compliance, with no environmental violations or fines
• More efficient line eliminates 34,000 to 140,000 metric tons of carbon emissions each year from coal plants not having to operate

Fischer noted several other factors in the project’s success. “We received outstanding support from local officials, and state regulators worked with us in a cooperative manner to ensure that their concerns were addressed effectively. Madison Gas & Electric and Alliant Energy also gave us excellent support in coordinating and scheduling the electric system outages that were needed during construction.”

The line can carry 1,267 megawatts of electricity, enough to power 239,000 homes.

“I extend my sincere thanks to those involved with the project,” said Fischer. “We had many partners in this project, and all of them deserve credit for our success.” In addition to Madison Gas & Electric and Alliant Energy, several contractors worked on the project, including:

• Construction: MJ Electric, Tri-State Drilling, Inc.
• DOT Coordination: Ayres Associates
• Engineering: Sargent & Lundy, GEI Consultants, Power Engineers
• Environmental monitoring: Stantec
• Helical pier foundations: Helical Pier Systems Ltd.
• Helicopter: Air 2, LLC; Erickson Air-Crane, Inc.
• Real estate: Land Service Company
• Restoration/traffic signage: Q3 Contracting
• Surveying: AECOM Technology Corporation
• Vegetation management: Asplundh Tree Expert Co.

 Additional information, including final route map and a video of work in the Yahara Wetlands, is available at www.RockdaleWestMiddleton.com.

PEWAUKEE, Wis. – American Transmission Co. is seeking approval from state regulators for a project to improve electric system reliability by rebuilding 58 miles of existing 138-kilovolt transmission lines in portions of four southeastern Wisconsin counties: Waukesha, Jefferson, Dodge and Washington.

ATC this week filed the required regulatory application for a Certificate of Authority with the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin. Permits also are needed from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.

The reconstruction is needed to replace aging equipment that is approaching the end of its lifespan. The rebuilt line will help meet current and future electricity loads, and support the safe and reliable operation of the electric system. 

Work on the project includes replacing the majority of the structures along the entire 58 mile route. No new right-of-way is needed. New conductors and fiber optic wires will be installed on 35 miles of the line; new structures on the remaining 23 miles will carry existing conductors, which will be transferred from the old structures to the new ones.

ATC anticipates regulatory approval in spring 2013 and the start of construction in fall 2014. The estimated cost of the project is $64 million and the targeted in-service date is spring 2017.

Additional information is available at www.atc-projects.com.

 DE PERE, Wis. – American Transmission Co. has modified the scope of its Bay Lake Project – a proposed collection of transmission lines and substations to enhance reliability in northeastern Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

 “As we noted when announcing the project in spring 2012, there’s a delicate balance among transmission, generation and electric load in the region. Now, a year later, that balance continues to shift,” explained David Hovde, ATC’s local relations representative for the project. “The industry also is transitioning to more region-wide transmission planning, with the regional operator, MISO, playing a larger role. These issues have required further study; consequently, we are deferring some work in northern Wisconsin and making revisions to the project in Michigan.”

 Specifically, work is being deferred on the proposed 345-kilovolt line between the Morgan Substation in Oconto County, Wis., and the Plains Substation near Quinnesec, Mich. MISO is undertaking a Northern Area Study, which is reviewing long-range transmission needs in Manitoba, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan. 

 Additionally, feedback from industry stakeholders and further analysis of evolving reliability standards indicates that a single-circuit 138-kV line between the Holmes Substation in Menominee County, Mich., and the Escanaba area will be adequate for the foreseeable future. This will require substantial review of the routing and siting work done last year to identify opportunities to co-locate the new circuit with existing 69-kV facilities. This also may bring additional stakeholders into the process. An open house to present two routes for the new line will be held in the area in June 2013.

 No changes have been made to the proposal between the Green Bay area and the Morgan Substation. Open houses will be conducted in May 2013 to present the location of a new Green Bay-area substation and two routes for a 345-kV line and a 138-kV line.

 Additional information is available at www.BayLakeProject.com

PEWAUKEE, Wis. – American Transmission Co. is announcing the proposed Spring Valley-North Lake Geneva Electric Reliability Project with informational open houses in late January for residents and other stakeholders to review substation sites and potential routes for the proposed 25-mile, 138-kilovolt line from southern Walworth County to western Kenosha County. The new transmission line and substation are needed to improve electric system reliability in the area.

“This is the start of our public outreach on the proposed new electric infrastructure. The open house is an opportunity for area residents to learn about the project and review the various route options and substation sites currently under consideration,” said Mary Carpenter, local relations representative. “Public input and feedback helps us better evaluate the route options for challenges and sensitivities.”

The electric transmission system in the area is vulnerable to low voltages and power outages and will no longer adequately support the lower-voltage distribution system. ATC studies indicate that the project would deliver benefits to the area by strengthening the electric transmission system to meet the growing use of electricity. This estimated $80.6 million project will provide system redundancy and allow for maintenance outages to equipment and facilities when repairs are needed. 

ATC is hosting two open houses.

The public is invited to attend either of the following open houses any time between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m.:

• Tuesday, Jan. 29, Hawks View Golf Club, 7377 Krueger Rd., Lake Geneva
• Wednesday, Jan. 30, Christ Lutheran Church, 24929 75^th St. (Hwy. 50), Paddock Lake

Following these open houses, ATC will narrow the potential route options and conduct additional open houses later this year before filing an application in 2014 with the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin for permission to build the power line and substation. If approved by the PSC, construction would begin in 2016 to meet an in-service date of 2019. 

Note to editors: A map and additional information about the Spring Valley-North Lake Geneva Electric Reliability Project is available at www.atc-projects.com.

PEWAUKEE, Wis. – American Transmission Co. later this month will begin construction activities on a new 5.8-mile, 345-kilovolt electric transmission line that will strengthen the electric system in southeastern Wisconsin and northeastern Illinois. ATC received approval last May from the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin and Illinois Commerce Commission to build the Pleasant Prairie-Zion Energy Center Transmission Line Project. The project also received approval from the Midwest Independent System Operator as a multi-value project for the economic benefits the line will provide to customers of local utilities.

The Pleasant Prairie-Zion Energy Center line establishes another important high-voltage interstate connection between Wisconsin and Illinois. The new line will relieve congestion on the existing transmission system in the area, allowing output from the most economic power plants in the region to supply electricity more of the time. 
 
“We are pleased to begin construction on this project,” said Mary Carpenter, ATC local relations representative. “We have been working on designing the line, developing construction access plans and obtaining the necessary easements and permits for construction.”

Construction activities beginning this month include vegetation removal and laying construction mats in some areas. In February crews will begin erecting steel poles and stringing wires beginning on the north end of the project in Pleasant Prairie and moving to the south to the Zion Energy Center. 

The line will largely follow the existing railroad right-of-way between the two end points. The project, estimated at $31 million, is anticipated to be completed and in service by August 2013.

Note to editors: A map and additional information about the project is available at www.atc-projects.com.

MADISON, Wis. – American Transmission Co. on Tuesday received approval from the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin to build the new Timberwolf Substation in the Town of Tomah and upgrade an approximately 17-mile, 161- and 69-kilovolt electric transmission line from the Monroe County Substation in the Town of Sparta to the Council Creek Substation in the City of Tomah.  

“The current transmission system that serves the area is aging and susceptible to overloads and severe low voltages,” said ATC Project Manager Andy Schaeve. “Rebuilding the 69-kV line and adding a new 161-kV line will help strengthen electric reliability for the area. The new line also will provide economic savings by reducing line losses and increasing access to lower cost power.”

The project involves replacing the structures and wires of the existing 69-kV transmission line and adding a 161-kV circuit to the new steel structures. Transmission line work will generally be completed within the existing right-of-way area. To allow for flexibility on the 69-kV system, ATC also will build the new Timberwolf Substation approximately 1/2 mile south of Interstate 90 along Highway 131.

ATC in July 2010 filed an application with the PSC to construct the project. The estimated project cost is $48 million. The line is expected to be in-service in late 2014.

Note to editors: A map and additional information about the project is available at www.atc-projects.com.