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Power plan
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BRODHEAD - After delaying the project for a few weeks to help tornado victims in southern United States, the American Transmission Company (ATC) is back in Green County to rebuild 18 miles of transmission lines from Brodhead to Monroe.

The 69,000-volt electric transmission line will connect the Brodhead substation at County T, south of Brodhead, and the south Monroe substation, at 2000 5th Ave.

ATC began framing and hauling last week for the $11 million rebuild project, according to Kaya Freiman, spokesman for the company. Structure setting is scheduled to start about July 17, Freiman said. The work involves installing new poles, wires and insulators.

The Public Service Commission of Wisconsin approved the new project in April 2009. The existing line was built in 1950.

The rebuilt line will follow the same path as existing power lines, but will use fewer poles, Freiman added.

Jim Maple, ATC project manager, advised that a new line design allows for the longer span lengths.

Weathering steel poles, which are brown and stand 70 to 85 feet above ground, will be used for most of the line route, until about a mile outside of the Monroe.

The rebuild begins at County T, about five miles south of Brodhead, and runs west for about eight miles, before turning north for about 1.5 miles, almost to County KS. It then runs west again, before stair-stepping into the City of Monroe.

Wooden poles, about 65 feet above ground, will replace the existing poles as the line approaches the city: on portions of Mings Road, Clarno Road, 30th Street, 7th Avenue, and 6 1/2 Avenue.

The new line is expected to improve the reliability of the electric transmission system, according to ATC project information. The voltage of the line will not change, but the replacement line is designed to accommodate increased electric demands and to support growth for years to come.

ATC's construction company for this project is Henkels & McCoy, which has its corporate headquarters in Pennsylvania. Henkels & McCoy's construction staging site is along Wis. 11.

ATC asks drivers to be alert for construction crews transporting equipment and materials to the site. Some of the vehicle expected to be traveling in the area are cranes, bulldozers, back hoes and skid loaders.

Federal regulations require ATC to remove natural hazards, such as trees and other vegetation, along the transmission route.

Property owners along the route will be notified about this work and about restoring property. ATC began real estate contracts with affected landowners in the fall of 2009.

The project was originally scheduled to begin in May, with the line to be in service in December.