2012

10-Year
Assessment

ATC’s Northern Plan study

ATC’s Northern Plan study covers the portion of the ATC system encompassing the areas north of Wausau, Wisconsin and south of Green Bay, Wisconsin and into the upper peninsula of Michigan, as shown on the maps on the following pages.  In 2012 we have continued efforts to evaluate the Northern Plan to address generation changes, load changes and developing transmission contingency concerns in this area.  Uncertainties such as pending and implemented EPA rules as well as increasing unavailability of existing older generation give increasing urgency to finding a transmission system solution.

ATC has developed three projects to address our growing, urgent northern area concerns; these concerns have been increasing in recent years and are projected to continue to increase.  The projects are detailed below:

Bay Lake

  • New Green Bay area substation-Morgan-Plains-National 345 kV line
  • New Green Bay area substation-Morgan 138 kV line
  • Two new Holmes-Chandler/Old Mead Rd 138 kV lines mostly on common structures
  • Loop Presque Isle-Tilden 138 kV line into National
  • Operate Morgan-Stiles 138 kV line as two circuits instead of one
  • Add fast acting reactive power sources (locations to be determined)
  • (for more details see the Bay Lake project website)

Mountain Lake

  • Gardner Park-Venus-National 345 kV line
  • Rebuild Bunker Hill-Black Brook 115 kV line
  • Add 2nd National-Empire 138 kV line
  • Add fast acting reactive power sources (locations to be determined)

Marquette-Mackinac 138

  • Rebuild Forsyth-Munising 138 kV line
  • Rebuild Munising-Seney 69 kV line to operate at 138 kV
  • Add new Seney-Roberts 138 kV line
  • Uprate and asset renewal for Seney-Blaney Park 69 kV line
  • Rebuild remaining Roberts-Nine Mile line and reconductor for 138 kV operation
  • Rebuild two Nine mile-Pine River 69 kV lines for 138/69 kV operation
  • Convert two rebuilt Pine River-Straits 69 kV lines to 138 kV operation

We are working with MISO to review the project packages with stakeholders through the MISO Transmission Expansion Plan (MTEP) process. Portions of Bay Lake will be approved in the MTEP 2012 process.

Implementing the full Bay Lake project by the targeted in-service date of 2017 is a daunting task, therefore we have started our routing and siting process on Bay Lake, beginning communications with land owners to gather feedback to minimize delays in project implementation.

MISO Northern Area Study

MISO has begun a Northern Area Study to determine the regional benefits of alternative proposals in WI and other areas in the Northern MISO region.  Portions of Bay Lake and other ATC Northern Plan packages of projects will be further reviewed in this MISO regional study effort.  We are following the analyses in this study and working with MISO and their stakeholders to find a solution that best fits the region.  For further information please refer to the Northern Area Study heading on MISO’s website at:

https://www.midwestiso.org/Planning/TransmissionExpansionPlanning/Pages/MTEPStudies.aspx