2016

10-Year
Assessment

South Central/Southwest Wisconsin and North Central Illinois
Zone 3

Transmission system characteristics in Zone 3

ATC delivers power in Zone 3 with various transmission facilities including:

  • Columbia-North Madison 345‑kV lines,
  • Columbia-Rockdale 345‑kV line,
  • Paddock-Rockdale 345‑kV line,
  • Paddock-Wempletown 345‑kV line,
  • Rockdale-Wempletown 345‑kV line
  • Rockdale-Cardinal 345-kV line, and
  • 138‑kV facilities from Nelson Dewey, around the Madison area, and in the northwest and southeast portions of Zone 3.
Transmission system limitations in Zone 3

In our analysis of Zone 3, we identified low voltages, high voltages and transmission-facility overloads. Low voltages are located in the Verona, Lake Geneva and Hustisford areas. Several overloads on 138-kV and 69-kV facilities in Zone 3 are emerging concerns. The causes of these emerging issues include steady growth in certain areas, power plant retirement and different generation dispatch scenarios.

Electric system overview

Increases expected in population, employment Population in Zone 3 is projected to grow about 0.9 percent annually between now and 2025, and employment is projected to grow about 1.3 percent each year for the same time period. Dane County is projected to realize the largest increase in population and employment. Dane County also is projected to have the highest growth rate in population while Dodge County is projected to have the highest growth rate in employment.

Electricity usage growing

Electric load is expected to grow approximately 1.1 percent annually through 2026.

Transmission projects in Zone 3

The most notable planned, proposed and provisional network projects and asset-renewal projects in Zone 3, along with their projected year of completion and the factors driving the need for the projects, are listed below.

Zone 3 includes the counties of:
  • Columbia , WI
  • Crawford (S) , WI
  • Dane , WI
  • Dodge , WI
  • Grant , WI
  • Green , WI
  • Iowa , WI
  • Jefferson , WI
  • Lafayette , WI
  • Richland , WI
  • Rock , WI
  • Sauk , WI
  • Walworth , WI
  • Winnebago (N) , IL

Zone 3 Planned Projects

Project DescriptionIn-service yearNeed driver
Dam Heights - Portage 69-kV line rebuild2017Condition and performance
Kegonsa - Sun Prairie 69-kV line partial rebuild2017Condition and performance
Colley Road - Brick Church 69-kV line2018Overloads, low voltages and condition
Badger Coulee: Briggs Rd - North Madison - Cardinal 345‑kV line construction 2018Reliability, economics and public policy
Spring Valley - North Lake Geneva 138‑kV line2019Overloads and low voltages, provide network service
Boscobel - Lone Rock 69-kV line rebuild2019Condition and performance
Portage - Staff - North Randolph 138-kV line rebuild2019Condition and performance
Dane - Waunakee 69-kV line rebuild2020Condition and performance

Zone 3 Proposed Projects

Project DescriptionIn-service yearNeed driver
Cardinal - Hickory Creek 2023Reliability, economics and public policy

Zone 3 Provisional Projects

Project DescriptionIn-service yearNeed driver
Cardinal - Blount 138‑kV line construction2029Overloads and low voltages