PSC approves ATC’s Western Milwaukee County Electric Reliability Project
Project includes two new transmission lines
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.