American Transmission Co. outlines 10-year plan for electric grid improvements

American Transmission Co. has identified its planned improvements for the electric grid for the upcoming decade in its recently published 10-year assessment.

Specifically, the 10-year plan calls for expenditures of $2.8 billion in asset maintenance, $1.1 billion in regional multi-benefits projects (including the Midcontinent Independent System Operator’s recently approved Long-Range Transmission Planning projects), $500 million in network projects, and between $700 million and $1.9 billion in other capital expenditures. Officials say the evolving energy landscape and rapid development of renewable generation are driving the majority of projects identified within this assessment.

“We continue to work with MISO on the significant uptick in the generation-to-transmission requests now in the queue,” Tom Dagenais, director of system planning at ATC, said. “Presently, there are 109 proposed projects in the generation queue within our service area, totaling over 14.1 gigawatts. The massive influx of these proposed connections to our system requires in-depth analysis by our planners to ensure we have adequate projects and time to interconnect these renewable generation resources. MISO’s Long-Range Transmission Planning will be key to how we plan for and integrate the proposed projects in the queue.”

In addition, ATC will continue to maintain the existing assets and aging infrastructure throughout the service area to ensure the safety and reliability of the electric transmission system.

“Evaluating renewal projects is an ongoing and methodical process,” Jim Vespalec, director of asset planning and engineering, said. “Over time, exposure to weather and avian species can adversely impact and deteriorate wooden poles. We also review and test substation equipment at regular intervals, assessing the scope and timing of the maintenance. In addition, new fiber optic wire upgrades and installations help our operators more reliably monitor the status of our grid and make it more secure.”