Navigation

American Transmission Company Proposes Additional Door County Lines

On October 15, 2008 the American Transmission Company (ATC) held an open-house meeting to enlist local support for their revised plans to expand electrical transmission capabilities to northern Door County.

This is consistent with a requirement that power lines be sufficient to handle future needs by designing 10 years in advance.

The existing power line route starts at the Sturgeon Bay canal substation. It continues north along the east side right-of-way on Highway 42/57 to the intersection of Gordon Road (Culver’s corner.) From there it extends directly north to a substation at Dunn Road.

An alternate proposed route would follow the same Highway 42/57 right-of-way, but it would diverge at the Gordon Road intersection and follow the highway to the 42-57 intersection (The Mill Supper Club). It would continue north along Highway 42 to Dunn Road, then west to the Dunn Road substation.

This alternative route would create a new power line right-of-way that would be longer by over one full mile. ATC stated that this alternative proposal is a requirement by the State Public Service Commission to study all possible routes for future line locations.

A duplicate feed line presently follows Cherry Road (North Eighth Avenue, County Highway HH) also connecting with the Dunn Road substation.

Several years ago, at joint meeting with Peter Peshek, representatives of ATC and DCEC determined the best solution for more power to northern Door was to expand the existing route.

Then, the original plan was to construct a line with double poles in an “H” configuration to support needed extra conductors. After discussion, all parties agreed that new, larger single poles would be more acceptable for aesthetic and environmental reasons. The older, smaller single pole line would remain in place to furnish power until the new line construction was complete.

It is DCEC’s desire that this mutually agreed upon construction plan be the direction ATC takes in this new upgrade. It is planned to be in service by 2012. This upgraded line will carry either 115, 138 or 161 thousand volts.

The power line from Dunn Road northward to Egg Harbor is a 69 thousand volt line. There are two 69 thousand-volt lines and two 138 thousand-volt lines passing through southern Door from Dykesville and from the Kewaunee area.

ATC was formed a few years ago when the state utilities realized they could be better served with a consortium of all of the state utilities in combination. The ATC was designated as owner of the major grid supply lines. For more information visit http://www.atc10yearplan.com.