“While we had originally intended to finalize our pro-posed route options and hold a public open house this fall, it is now our intention to hold a public open house in spring 2014. At that time, we will review the project and pre-sent the route options.
~Alyssa Braatz
Corporation Communication spokesmen for ATC
By Annette Newcomb~Editor
After hosting several informational open houses in the area last year, the American Transmission Co. has announced it will delay submitting its application to the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin to upgrade and add new a 138-kilovolt electric transmission line.
The transmission line would span 25 miles from the existing North Lake Geneva substation in southern Walworth County, through Western Kenosha County.
The project calls for easements to be acquired along the route. Specifically communities impacted include Town of Geneva, City of Lake Geneva, Village of Bloomfield, Town of Randall, Village of Twin Lakes, Town of Wheatland, Town of Salem and Village of Paddock Lake.
The cost of the project is estimated at $80 million and if approved by the Public Service Commission (PSC), construction would begin in 2016 to meet an in-service date of 2019. Large scale construction projects similar to this often need to have approval from the local Public Service Commission, and each state has its own regulations. For example, a company would go to the Public Service Commission of South Carolina for permission required in South Carolina.
Alyssa Braatz, corporation communication spokesmen for ATC, based in Pewaukee, said last week, “We’ve determined that we can postpone submitting an application to the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin until spring 2015, instead of spring 2014.
“This decision does not affect the spring 2019 planned in-service date and it also makes the best use of our internal resources across all of our active and proposed projects.
“While we had originally intended to finalize our pro-posed route options and hold a public open house this fall, it is now our intention to hold a public open house in spring 2014. At that time, we will review the project and pre-sent the route options we believe best meet the routing and citing criteria based on impacts, costs, operation and maintenance.
“We’ll hold a final open house in early 2015 to present the two routes that will be included in our application to the PSC.”
When the project was initially introduced to residents, Braatz said the upgrade is needed due to current and future demand.
“The growing demand for energy has presented operation challenges on the line. We currently have limited options for backups in case of loss of power.
“ACT projects this transmission grid will be compromised if it is not stabilized and upgraded.”
ATC says, “The electric transmission system in southern Walworth and western Kenosha counties is vulnerable to low voltages and power outages. Reliable electric systems depend on a degree of redundancy to help ensure uninterrupted electric service to customers in the event of an outage on any one component of the system.
“Due to increased electric demand in the area, the existing power lines and substations cannot carry the additional load if a power outage were to occur elsewhere on the system. This could result in service interruption to electric customers.”
Braatz said the transmission lines serve 5,000 customers in this area. All told ATC has 9,440 miles of transmission lines in Wisconsin and 519 substations. It also serves portions of the Upper Penninsula and Michigan.
ATC wheels power into an area and sells it to Alliant and WE Energies, she said. According to its fact sheet, ATC sometimes uses steel poles approximately 60 to 100 feet high, placed 400 to 600 feet apart to carry both the transmission line and the distribution line. Shorter poles are placed at the mid-point between the taller poles to support the distribution wires which are placed below the transmission wires.
ATC needs approximately 45 feet for a route that is adjacent to a road but can require up to 100 feet. The right-of-way is determined by engineering requirements for safe clearances. “An ATC Real Estate representative will present land owners with two appraisers then negotiate a fair market price for the value of the easement,” Braatz said. ATC began identifying possible routes last year.
Two open houses were held at Hawk View Golf Course in Lake Geneva and the Christ Lutheran Church in Paddock Lake in January.
The final route alternatives will be included in an application to the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin for review. ATC is required to identify at least two route options and two substation site options.
If approved, the PSC will determine the location of the substation and new transmission line. ATC is currently considering two different routes, however, input from property owners is needed.
In addition to acquiring easements along the 25-mile route, a 20-acre parcel of land will also be needed for a new 138- and 69kV substation near Twin Lakes.
ATC also plans a rebuild of the existing 69-kV transmission line from the Katzenberg Substation to the Twin Lakes Substation, along with other area maintenance work; replacing the wires between the Spring Valley Substation and the Bain Substation, in Pleasant Prairie and rebuilding the 69-kV transmission line between Katzenberg Substation near Bloomfield, and the Twin Lakes Substation.
According to its website, ATC is a Wisconsin-based company that owns, operates, builds and maintains the high-voltage electric transmission system serving portions of the Upper Midwest.
Formed in 2001 as the nation’s first multi-state transmission-only utility, ATC has invested $2.7 billion to improve the adequacy and reliability of its infrastructure. ATC now is a $3.1 billion company with 9,440 miles of transmission lines and 519 substations.
The company is a member of the MISO regional transmission organization, and provides nondiscriminatory service to all customers, supporting effective competition in energy markets without favoring any market participant.
For more information, log on to www.atcllc.com.