From: Save Our Unique Lands (SOUL)
Date: June 22, 2001

CONTACT: Tom Kreager (President of SOUL) 715-693-3143
Ed Garvey or Pam McGillivray (Attorneys for SOUL) 608-256-1003

Re:  Arrowhead Weston Transmission Line

As of today, final briefs have been filed in the Arrowhead to Weston transmission line case.  It is now up to the Public Service Commission to examine the evidence.  The only reasonable conclusion that the PSC can make is that the 250 mile, 345,000 volt transmission line is not in the public
interest for the citizens of Wisconsin.

The utilities that would have been responsible for constructing this line, Wisconsin Public Service Corporation, Minnesota Power, and American Transmission Company have failed to make their case that this line would be good for Wisconsin’s citizens:

1. The utilities admit that this line will cause environmental damage, but argue that is acceptable because it would not be as damaging as highway construction or building residential homes.  The proper comparison is to look at the affected area before and after the construction of the transmission line, not at other non-related construction projects.

2. SOUL agrees with the staff of the PSC that this line would have greater adverse environmental impacts than any other transmission line that has been proposed.

3. American Transmission Company was just designated as a party by the Commission on June 19, 2001. SOUL objected to American Transmission Company being named a party, which occurred after the evidentiary record was closed and after briefs had been filed in this case.  There is no evidence in the record regarding what management practices this new company will use in maintaining and operating the line.

4. The utilities completely failed to provide an adequate economic analysis of what system reliability benefits this line will have if it is built.  Their analysis is fatally flawed because it fails to show how the Arrowhead to Weston line would solve system reliability problems more efficiently than other alternatives, such as a new generation alternative.

5. Utilities have failed to analyze the risk to Wisconsin’s system reliability by depending on out-of-state generation.  This line relies on uncertain out-of-state generation to supply Wisconsin.  There is no guarantee that out-of-state power will be available or, if it is available,
that it will be the most economical way to provide increased reliability.

The solution to system reliability concerns should be based on planning for Wisconsin’s future in a comprehensive way that ensures that Wisconsin ratepayers the low cost electricity and protection of the environment.  This line ignores the need for that type of careful planning.

In response to the case presented by the utilities, Ed Garvey, attorney for SOUL, stated:  “These utilities are so accustomed to having ‘rubber stamp’ approval from the PSC, they forgot to do their homework.”

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