Refer to Table ZS-3 and Figure ZS-3

• The Rhinelander Loop will require additional reinforcements sometime after 2020. The Cranberry-Conover-Plains project provides considerable improvement of the load serving capability of the Rhinelander Loop’s transmission system. However, it is anticipated that another source into the Loop, in addition to the Cranberry-Conover-Plains project, will be needed at some point beyond the current planning horizon.
• Maintenance, voltage and thermal issues exist in the greater Berlin and Ripon areas that need to be addressed.

To address facilities overloads in Zone 1, the Castle Rock-Mckenna 69-kV line will need to be upgraded to achieve a higher thermal rating. Also, to help with the low voltage issues in the Castle Rock area, the Necedah distribution substation will be converted from 69-kV to 138-kV operation.

To address maintenance, voltage and thermal issues in the greater Berlin/Ripon area a reconfiguration of the North Randolph-Ripon 69-kV line is proposed. A new 69-kV line will connect the Fairwater and Mackford Prairie substations forming a new 69-kV line from North Randolph to Metomen Substation. The northern portion of the existing Mackford Prairie Tap-Ripon 69-kV line will then be extended into a vacant terminal position at Metomen Substation, creating a second Ripon-Metomen 69-kV line. This will allow for the retirement of a portion of the North Randolph-Ripon circuit between Metomen and Mackford Prairie substations which is where a significant portion of the maintenance issues are located.