ATC Transmission Line Upgrade Project Approved

ATC applauds PSC approval of new transmission line on Madison's east side
Femrite-Sprecher project will help maintain local electric system reliability in near term

Madison, WI — American Transmission Co. applauds the Public Service Commission's approval of the company's proposal to build a 3.5-mile, 138-kilovolt transmission line that will connect the Sprecher Substation, located near the Sprecher Road/CTH BB intersection, with the Femrite Substation, located on Femrite Road near the I90/USH 12/18 interchange.

"This is a critical short-term upgrade that will help ease the strain on the transmission system in the near term," said Mark Williamson, ATC vice president of major projects.

The Femrite-Sprecher transmission project will help address both growth in neighborhood demands for electricity and maintain electric system reliability for the east side of Madison and neighboring communities. This project is needed to meet rising demand for electricity, to back up critical facilities and to carry power into Dane County from new sources of generation that have come on line. Construction on the four-mile project will begin next spring. The estimated cost of the project is $21 million. It is scheduled to be in service in spring 2007.

The Femrite-Sprecher project is part of $110 million in transmission reinforcements ATC is placing in service in Dane County from 2002 to 2007. In addition, a series of new transmission lines is expected to be needed between 2008 and 2015 to keep pace with growth at an estimated cost of $200 to $270 million.

SOURCE: American Transmission Company