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.

Pleasant Prairie-Zion Energy Center

PROJECT STATUS: Completed and in service

American Transmission Co. in 2012 received approval from state regulators to construct an approximately 5-mile, 345,000-volt electric transmission line from the Pleasant Prairie Substation in Pleasant Prairie, Wis., to the Zion Energy Center Substation in Zion, Ill. ATC studies indicate that the project will:

Provide savings for electric utilities and their customers.

  • The project will help relieve transmission system congestion throughout the region and enable the most efficient generators to supply power to the energy market.
  • The line will allow utilities to buy and sell power when it’s economic to do so.

Improve electric system reliability, locally and regionally.

  • The project adds an additional high-voltage line to strengthen the interstate transmission connection between Wisconsin and Illinois.
  • The new line will allow for better regional access to emergency sources of power generation.

Project at a Glance
Area benefited:Southeastern Wisconsin, Northeastern Illinois and the Midwest region
Line length:Approximately 5.3 miles
Voltage:345,000 volts
Estimated cost:Approximately $36 million
End points:The northern end point will be the Pleasant Prairie Substation in Pleasant Prairie, Wis. The southern end point will be the Zion Energy Center Substation in the Zion, Ill.
ICC Docket ID:11-0661
PSC Docket ID:137-CE-161
Schedule*
Public outreach:2011-2012
File application with Illinois and Wisconsin regulators:Fall 2011
Received approval from PSCW and ICC:May 2012
Begin construction:Late 2012
In-service date:December 2013
*Dates are anticipated and subject to changes