Bay Lake Project on Schedule to Present Preliminary Routes for Three Project Study Areas

Sept. 1, 2012
American Transmission Co. (ATC) says it is on schedule to present preliminary routes for three of four Bay Lake Project study areas. The Bay Lake Project

American Transmission Co. (ATC) says it is on schedule to present preliminary routes for three of four Bay Lake Project study areas.

The Bay Lake Project calls for new transmission lines and substations to be constructed in northeastern Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan to ensure electric reliability and stability. Preliminary routes have been identified following a summer of collecting data and analyzing the potential corridors in northeastern Wisconsin and in Menominee and Delta counties in Michigan. The routes will be discussed with impacted property owners at public open houses in October.

Plans for transmission line and substation work in a fourth project area in Dickinson and Marquette counties in Michigan's Upper Peninsula are temporarily on hold. MISO, the regional transmission planning authority, will conduct a Northern Area Study to address several transmission proposals and issues in Manitoba, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan. The Bay Lake Project components in this area are being included in the MISO study, and ATC is deferring additional work in this area pending study results.

Several modifications have been made in the remaining study areas:

Project Area 4 - Holmes to Escanaba

As originally proposed, the Bay Lake Project included two 138-kV lines from the Holmes Substation in Menominee County and the Chandler and Old Mead Road substations in Escanaba. ATC is proposing to build a single 138-kV line from Holmes to Old Mead Road, but will design the line to accommodate an additional circuit to Chandler in the future. No change has been made to the schedule. A regulatory application is expected to be filed with the Michigan Public Service Commission in late 2013 to meet an in-service date of late 2016.

Project Area 2 - Morgan to Quinnesec

ATC is continuing with routing and siting work for the new 345-kV line on the original schedule, and at this time, plans to include this component in a 2014 regulatory filing with the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin. However, this component also is being reviewed as part of the MISO Northern Area Study, and the in-service date is now expected to be 2017.

Project Area 1 - Green Bay to Morgan

This project area remains on the original schedule calling for a regulatory application in early 2014 and an in-service date of late 2016. This area includes a new Green Bay-area substation, a 345-kV line between the new substation and the Morgan Substation, and a new 138-kV line between the same two substations. Given these changes, a large voltage-control device also will be required.

Total preliminary cost for the revised project components are estimated to be US$286 million and $430 million for the 345-kV facilities and $149 million and $222 million for the 138-kV facilities.

Visit www.BayLakeProject.com.

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