American Transmission Co. on Friday will begin construction activities on a new four-mile, 69-kV electric transmission line to serve the Milton area in Wisconsin. Construction activities will begin with vegetation clearing along the route in preparation for ATC to drill holes and set pole foundations beginning in September.

The new line is needed to bring power to a new substation that Rock Energy Cooperative is building near the Milton Crossroads Business Park. ATC and REC introduced the project and preliminary route corridors to the public in August 2009, and held two public open houses to gather input on possible routes before identifying the final route in January 2010. During the past several months ATC has been designing the line and acquiring easements from landowners along the route. The new Red Hawk Substation is currently under construction, and the entire project is planned to be complete and in service this winter.

“We have worked closely with landowners, businesses and public officials impacted by the route,” says Jon Callaway, local relations representative for ATC. “As we move forward with the construction activities, we will we continue to work with landowners to secure easements and keep them informed of our construction activities.”

The approximately $4.2 million line will connect an existing 69-kV transmission line that runs parallel to Cty Hwy Y to a new Rock Energy Cooperative substation near the intersection of Harmony Milton Town Line Road and Cty Hwy M. The western part of the new line will be mostly on agricultural land; the remainder of the line will follow Town Line Road, the future site of the realigned Hwy 26 and Cty Hwy M.