© 2024 WNMU-FM
Upper Great Lakes News, Music, and Arts & Culture
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

ATC pulling back on power lines in U.P.

WAUKESHA, WI (AP)--   A Wisconsin utility is scaling back plans to run power lines into the Upper Peninsula. 

American Transmission Company of Waukesha had planned to extend power lines 122 miles from the Green Bay area into the U.P.  But ATC spokesman Jackie Olson says the project is now planned to go 45 miles.

One reason is that the We Energies coal-fired power plant in Marquette will keep running. The utility had considered closing the plant rather than pay for federally mandated pollution controls, but it ultimately decided to install the controls.

Olson says ATC is deferring further work pending a larger review of power needs in the region.

The scaled-back plans mean the project will now cost about $300 million to $400 million, down from the original $900 million estimate.

Nicole was born near Detroit but has lived in the U.P. most of her life. She graduated from Marquette Senior High School and attended Michigan State and Northern Michigan Universities, graduating from NMU in 1993 with a degree in English.