American Transmission Co. projects

Project website for a Wisconsin-based company that owns and operates the high-voltage electric transmission system that powers communities in portions of the Upper Midwest.

Fitchburg-Verona electric system upgrade

ATC completed a 6-mile, 138-kilovolt transmission line to connect the new Oak Ridge Substation in Fitchburg with an existing substation in Verona located near the intersection of Highways M and PB. The route that was approved by the PSC in January 2008 runs primarily along Fish Hatchery Road, Adams Road and Highway M.

The new Oak Ridge Substation has been constructed on a site near the intersection of Fish Hatchery Road and Irish Lane. It was placed in service and began serving Fitchburg customers in May 2009.

The final cost of the transmission line and the new substation came in at $18.8 million, below the PSC-approved budget. This new line is essential to strengthening and maintaining reliability in the rapidly growing areas of southern Dane County and northern Green County, where usage is growing at an annual rate greater than the statewide average.

ATC originally proposed in 2005 an electric solution to construct a new 138-kilovolt transmission line between Fitchburg and Montrose, which also would have included the construction of two new substations. During the routing and siting process, ATC re-evaluated the project based on public input and determined that an alternative solution between Fitchburg and Verona solved the electrical problem while minimizing the amount of new right-of-way needed for the line.

Project at a Glance
Communities affected:Fitchburg and Verona. The area including Oregon, Verona, Paoli, Basco, Montrose, Belleville, Brooklyn and Fitchburg all benefit.
Line length:Approximately 6 miles
Voltage:138,000 volts
Final Cost:$18.8 million
End points:New substation (called Oak Ridge) in Fitchburg to existing Verona substation
PSC Docket ID:137-CE-158 Click here to visit the PSC website.
Schedule*
Public open houses:July 2005 to Spring 2006
Receive PSC decision:January 2008
Begin construction:Summer 2008
In-service date (Oak Ridge Substation):May 2009
In-service date (transmission line):June 2010