Power Companies Announce Route For Cardinal-Hickory Creek Line From Madison To Iowa

Two Wisconsin-based utility companies have announced their preferred route for a transmission line between Madison and Dubuque, Iowa.

American Transmission Company and Dairyland Power Cooperative published their proposal for the Cardinal-Hickory Creek line Monday.

The project would start at an existing substation west of Madison and travel across Iowa and Grant counties. The proposed line would cross the Mississippi River at Cassville and travel south to west of Dubuque.

The Cardinal-Hickory Creek line would be a continuation of the Badger Coulee Transmission Line, a project still under construction between La Crosse and Madison.

Community and county officials along the routes have opposed both projects, citing negative impacts to property values and environmental concerns.

But the utility companies say the new transmission lines will improve service reliability, lower energy costs and support greater use of renewables.

“Whenever there are these long line regional projects, we definitely expect people to be interested and engaged,” said Kaya Freiman, spokeswoman for ATC. “There have been years of opportunity for the public to study and engage, educate themselves about the project and form their own opinions. That is an important part of the process and we are glad we were able to be out for a number of years to allow people ample time.”

Freiman said ATC plans to submit their application to the state’s Public Service Commission in the spring. She said ATC is encouraging the public to participate in the PSC’s public comment period.

But some area residents don’t feel the latest proposal takes into account concerns they’ve already raised about the project.

“There are (nature) conservancies along the southern route, there are communities that (the line) goes through,” said Michael McDermott from the Inter-Municipal Energy Planning Committee, a group of six local governments opposing the project. “The general issue that there is not need for it (because) energy use is flat, that there is no promise in the near term of any alternative energy to go through there, all of that remains the same.”

McDermott, representing the Town of Vermont, said IMEPC was surprised the power companies planned to submit their application to the PSC as early as this spring.

He said the group plans to review the latest proposal and explore new ways to oppose the project.