Public open houses to be held for new Wisconsin-Iowa transmission line

The American Transmission Co. (ATC), ITC Midwest LLC and the Dairyland Power Cooperative announced on Tuesday that they will hold public open houses to discuss a new transmission line that will span Wisconsin and Iowa.

The proposed Cardinal-Hickory Creek Project would support the development of a transmission line from the ATC’s Cardinal Substation in the town of Middleton, Wisconsin, to the ITC’s Hickory Creek Substation in Dubuque County, Iowa. The Midcontinent Independent System Operator, Inc., approved the project, which would total 125 miles and approximately 345,000 volts as part of 17 Multi-Value Projects approved to deliver more reliable energy to Midwest consumers.

“Investing in a robust transmission system is necessary for regional reliability and to support lower and stable energy prices by reducing congestion,” Dairyland VP of Power Delivery Ben Porath said. “Cardinal-Hickory Creek will also support renewable energy policy. As Dairyland continues to diversify its generation portfolio with more renewable resources, the ability to access and transport renewable energy in the region will only grow in importance.”

The open houses will be held for homeowners to discuss the project because local landowners play an important role in its implementation. The project still requires approval from state regulatory agencies in Wisconsin and Iowa. If approval is gained, the transmission line would be live by 2023.

Open houses will be held in Peosta, IA; Platteville, WI; and Barneveld, WI, the week of May 16.