Section L - The Mining Journal
Transcription
Section L - The Mining Journal
2015 ELECTRICAL DEVELOPMENTS SECTION L PROGRESS Tuesday, March 31 A SPECIAL SECTION OF THE MINING JOURNAL ALSO INSIDE Under an arrangement announced this month, We Energies will continue to own and operate the Presque Isle Power Plant in Marquette, with Cliffs Natural Resources as its electric customer. The arrangement will continue until a replacement natural-gas fueled cogeneration plant is built on Cliffs property and put on line by 2020. (Journal file photo) UPPCO transition PAGE 2L Alger Delta upgrading service reliability Also: BLP running second unit PAGE 3L ATC realeases 10-year energy assessment PAGE 8L Breakthrough Agreements point to a solution to U.P. power issues By JOHN PEPIN Journal Staff Writer In January, a package of four key agreements was announced — which will involve hundreds of millions of dollars — proposing the basis for a comprehensive solution to the Upper Peninsulas electric power crisis. That crisis, which has emerged over the past couple of years, has centered on expected customer rate increases associated with continued subsidized operation of the aging coal-fired Presque Isle Power Plant in Marquette and finding eventual replacement electric power generation or transmission options for the future. Under the agreements, Cliffs Natural Resources would purchase a significant majority of its power from the Presque Isle plant until the facilitys retirement in 2020. A replacement natural gas-fired cogeneration power plant would be built, owned and operated by Invenergy on Cliffs property in Marquette County. We Energies and Integrys-owned electric businesses in Michigan – including the Presque Isle plant – would be sold to the Upper Peninsula Power Co. ending Presque Isle subsidy payments. Ob- The Cliffs Natural Resources Empire and Tilden mines in Marquette County are We Energies biggest consumers of electricity from the Presque Isle Power Plant. Shown here is a view of the Empire Mine located in Palmer. (Journal file photo) jections by Cliffs and state officials to the merger of Wisconsin Energy and the Integrys Energy Group would be removed. Earlier this month, the agreements were reworked with UPPCO no longer purchasing the plant. We Energies will continue to own and operate the facility, with Cliffs as its customer. State officials said the new electric power generation would eliminate the need to spend at least $500 million to build new transmission line projects to bring power to the region from coal-fired plants in Wisconsin. “This is a critical development for the Upper Peninsula and our entire state. I commend all involved parties for their commitment to finding a solution and thank them for their many efforts in reaching this accord,” Gov. Rick Snyder said. “The solution these agreements advance ensures reliability, rids the U.P. of years of unaffordable charges, improves the environment and most of all gives the U.P. the power and ability to adapt to the future.” The agreements reached in principle were announced jointly by Snyder, Attorney Gen- eral Bill Schuette, Wisconsin Energy Corp. (We Energies), UPPCO, Invenergy and Cliffs. Final agreements are expected to be reached by the end of June. Valerie Brader, deputy legal counsel and senior policy advisor to Snyder, said the agreements are complicated and it will take time to perform the necessary due diligence. “It will take a lot of work just to get them done in the second quarter, but all the parties are committed to working as quickly as possible to get this done,” Brader said. Though the agreements include a number of contingencies, and will be subject to further discussion and refinement, Snyder said the hard work and efforts of all those involved means he is “personally very optimistic” about the ability to bring the transactions to fruition and secure the required approvals from federal and state decisionmakers. John Pepin can be reached at 906-2282500, ext. 206. His email address is [email protected]. 2L -— The Mining Journal -— Tuesday, March 31 PROGRESS2015 UPPCO transition New leadership team is proud to be part of tradition The Upper Peninsula Power Co. was formed through the merger of three smaller utilities in 1947 and was acquired by Integrys in 1998. The sale of the company will include offices and Balfour Beatty Infrastructure Partners intends to maintain UPPCOs Michigan headquarters and offices and, for customers and stakeholders, “it will be business as usual.” (Journal file photo) The Hoist Dam in Marquette County is one of a half-dozen Upper Peninsula Power Co. generation facilities in the region. The company provides electricity to 52,000 residential, commercial and industrial customers in the U.P. (Journal file photo) By JOHN PEPIN Journal Staff Writer MARQUETTE — In August, Upper Peninsula Power Co. officials said the sale of the utility to Balfour Beatty Infrastructure Partners, announced earlier in the year had been completed. UPPCO was sold to the Balfour infrastructure equity investment fund by Chicago-based Integrys Energy Group, returning UPPCO to its original status as a Michigan-headquartered energy provider. Under terms of the sales agreement announced in January 2014, the purchase price was about $298.8 million for UPPCOs electricity distribution operations, excluding its American Transmission Co. holdings. UPPCOs assets include seven hydroelectric generation facilities, 3,300 miles of electric distribution lines and 58 distribution substations. Balfour Beatty Infrastructure Partners is an infrastructure equity investment fund, focusing on investments in energy, utilities and transport infrastructure in the U.S., Canada and Europe. The fund has offices in New York and London. No changes were expected for UPPCO customers as a result of the sale. UPPCO said the leaders of the utility will include CEO Barbara Siehr, CFO Steve Manz and Chief Operating Officer Keith Moyle. “Our new leadership team is proud to be part of a tradition of delivering safe, reliable power to the many customers we are privileged to serve,” Siehr said in a news release. “Together with our team of very talented and dedi- cated employees we look forward to building a new Upper Peninsula Power Company. We will also continue to be involved in the communities we serve.” Siehr and Manz are new to UPPCO and jointly being more than 50 years of utility and energy experience to the company. Siehr is a native of Manitowoc, Wisconsin, who has held leadership positions in operations, finance and information technology for companies —regulated and unregulated— including the Wisconsin Power and Light Co. and Alliant Energy Corp. She most recently was managing partner and founder of the energy consulting firm, Siehr Strategic Partners, her UPPCO bio said. Manz is from Windsor, Ontario, and has served as president CFO for nu- merous publicly traded corporations in the mining industry and has been involved in permitting and development of power generation. He has consulted on numerous power and industrial developments, according to a bio provided by UPPCO. Moyle, a Calumet native, has been with UPPCO since 2006, when he became general manager of the utility. “Upper Peninsula Power Company has a rich history,” Moyle said. “We will continue our dedication to customer service and process improvements to help reduce costs. “UPPCO will also continue to keep environmentally friendly energy in our generation mix including our hydroelectric projects that provide clean, renewable power and offer recreational opportunities to the public as well as contribute to the tax base. UPPCO will also keep up its ongoing communications with policymakers about the unique challenges and issues we face operating as a regulated utility in the Upper Peninsula.” The Upper Peninsula Power Company was incorporated in 1947 through a merger involv- ing three smaller electric companies: the Houghton County Electric Light Co., the Copper District Power Co. and the Iron Range Light and Power Co. UPPCO has 123 employees and serves roughly 52,000 electric retail customers. Its service territory measures 4,460 square miles and covers 10 counties in the U.P. The utility was acquired by Integrys in 1998. John Pepin can be reached at 906-2282500, ext. 206. His email address is [email protected]. Code Electrical, Inc. SERVING MARQUETTE COUNTY FOR 33 YEARS From generation to generation... For all your electrical needs Generac Sales & Service We are a full service electrical contractor with expert electricians providing you with exceptional service. We take pride in our customer’s satisfaction and will work hard to make sure your visions become a reality. As our customer you can expect high quality service, personalized for your unique needs. Code Electrical, Inc. is license and insured. We offer 24-Hour emergency services. When an emergency strikes, you can count on us to be there! Fully Automatic Guardian Series Our electricians are: ~ Licensed and registered in the State of Michigan. ~ Trained and certified in generator installation and servicing. ~ Available for any questions you may have after the generator is installed. ~ Able to service your generator after it has been installed. 1301 Division St., Marquette • 225-0325 www.codeelectricmqt.com r 24 Hvoicue Ser The Mining Journal -— Tuesday, March 31 -— 3L PROGRESS2015 Alger Delta upgrading service reliability By JOHN PEPIN Journal Staff Writer MARQUETTE — The Alger Delta Cooperative Electric Association is undertaking a nearly $1 million project to upgrade the reliability of its electric service between Rapid River in Delta County and Trenary in Alger County. The $989,300 project — was set to begin in January and be finished by November — was approved by the Alger Delta board of directors as part of a $7 million, 4-year Construction Work Plan adopted in October 2013. “This is an investment that will pay permanent dividends by providing operational flexibility and reducing TOM HARRELL distribution expense” Alger Delta Cooperative Electric Association CEO Tom Harrell said in a news release.“The funds for the project come in the form of a loan from the Rural Utilities Services, which is part of the (U.S.) Department of Agriculture.” The work will improve Alger Deltas electric power distribution lines along U.S. 41 and some lines in areas adjacent to the highway. Trees will be trimmed and rightof-way areas will be cleared, new utility poles will be set; existing power poles will be replaced and new overhead or underground electric lines will be installed. Several area contractors are expected to be involved in the project. In addition to Rapid River and Trenary, customers in the Maple Ridge and Rock areas are also expected to benefit from better power reliability with the projects completion, according to Harrell. “Over the last two years, weve had some lengthy outages in the Maple Ridge and Trenary areas.Two of them happened in January 2014 during the coldest days of the winter.(Cooperative) members arent satisfied with that kind of service, and rightfully so,” Harrell said.“This project will rebuild part of the line along U.S. 41 and that will become a new tie-line between our Stonington substation and the Maple Ridge area.We expect the new tie-line to improve service quality and reliability.” In 2013, Alger Delta upgraded the transformers in its Stonington substation.The new tie line will enable the cooperative to provide electric service to the Maple Ridge area from its Stonington substation because the transformer upgrades added enough capacity to include Maple Ridge consumers. Alger Delta officials said the cooperative will keep the existing Maple Ridge delivery point until the new project is completed and then all the consumers will be switched over to the Stonington substation. Part of the project may require a power outage. However, Alger Delta officials plan to notify consumers far in advance. Lane closures and other traffic delays on U.S. 41 are not expected during the work. The Gladstone-headquartered Alger Delta cooperative serves about 10,000 power consumers situated across six central Upper Peninsula counties. John Pepin can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 206. His email address is [email protected]. Paddling Michigan BLP running second unit Kayak trips to to help maintain power Pictured Rocks and Grand Island. reliability in cold weather By JOHN PEPIN Journal Staff Writer MARQUETTE — Marquette Board of Light and Power officials were running a second unit at the Shiras S t e a m Plant to help ensure power reliability under some of this winters cold wintry weather conditions. Erik Booth, BLP manager of planning and utility compliance, said the plants Unit 2 is primarily used for reliability purposes during extremely cold events, hot events when electrical demand is high in the summer and during times when the other generating assets at the BLP are down for scheduled maintenance. “This unit also protects and insulates the Marquette community and the nine surrounding townships served by the BLP from the System Support Resources (Presque Isle, Escanaba and White Pine power plants subsidy) charges that are such a concern for the rest of the Upper Peninsula ratepayers,” Booth said. Booth said the unit will be used periodically, as needed, throughout the winter. “Unit 2 has been well taken care of through the years which is good because it proved extreme- ly valuable during last winters Polar Vortex when this unit was utilized for more 820 than hours over a threem o n t h t i m e span,” B o o t h said. “We certainly dont live in an area that could handle a significant power outage in the winter weather conditions that we endure so the efforts at the BLP always revolve around the reliability of the electrical system.” Booth said Unit 2 has proven to be “significantly valuable” when there have been constraints on the electrical grid and when electricity prices on the grid have risen. “Its an excellent source to keep costs down and reliability up,” Booth said. “Additionally, if the transmission system has any issues, we can supply all of our own electrical needs with the generating assets of the BLP.” Among those assets, there are three generating units at the Shiras Stream Plant. In addition, the BLP has a 24megawatt combustion turbine it can dispatch if needed to help maintain electric reliability. The BLP also has two hydroelectric facilities, which are currently providing a total of 1.5 megawatts of power. Booth said the Forestville Hydroelectric Plant is rated at 3.2 megawatts and the Tourist Park Hydroelectric Plant is rated at 0.75 megawatts. Booth said both facilities are in excellent condition. The BLP serves about 17,000 customers in the city of Marquette and all or parts of Marquette, Negaunee, Ishpeming, West Branch, Richmond, Chocolay, Skandia, Sands and Forsyth townships. John Pepin can be reached at 906-2282500, ext. 206. His email address is [email protected]. www.paddlingmichigan.com Schedule Now - Call Toll Free 877-228-5447 or 228-5447 Improving the lives of our patients through better hearing! We will take the time to test you thoroughly, answer your questions and find a solution that fits your lifestyle! Retirement Planning WAYNE OLIVIER Associate Vice President - Investment Officer 1901 W. RIDGE STREET, SUITE 4, MARQUETTE, MI 49855 Phone: 906-226-2518 [email protected] Wells Fargo Advisors is a subsidiary of Wells Fargo & Company. TOGO’S - proudly serving the U.P.’s Original Submarine Sandwich for over 50 years! MARQUETTE 1000 North Third Street (906) 226-6535 Tummy T. Togo HARVEY Corner of M-28 & US 41 (906) 249-1455 We Deliver Everyday! www.TogosToGo.com Like Us! Marquette Ishpeming Main Office American Legion Street 515 W. Washington 15 Front Street Marquette, MI 49855 150 Greenwood Street Ishpeming, MI 49849 L’Anse American Legion 15 Front Street L’Anse, MI 49946 Escanaba Iron Mountain Hancock Ironwood 804 Ludington Street Escanaba, MI 49829 Ludington Center 200 W. Ludington Street Iron Mountain, MI 49801 420 Quincy Street Hancock, MI 49930 234 E. Aurora St. Ironwood, MI 49938 Celebrating 28 years of serving Upper Michigan 4L -— The Mining Journal -— Tuesday, March 31 PROGRESS2015 Our Businesses, Our People, All Local 1846 1855 Est. 1833, Paris, France Est. 1845, St. Louis, Missouri Est. 1855, Upper Peninsula 249 W. Washington St. P.O. Box 430 Marquette, MI (906) 228-2500 (800) 562-7811 118 W. Division St. Ishpeming, MI (906) 486-4401 No one else even comes close! www.miningjournal.net 1893 St. Vincent DePaul Thrift Stores 1874 1887 UNITED People. Community. Commitment. PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH We believe in all of them. 112 E. Euclid St. Ishpeming www.ishpresbyterian.org Trust & Wealth Management Online Banking • Bill Pay Home Mortgage and Business Loans Visit Us At: www.rangebank.com 2119 Presque Isle, Marquette 1896 1891 T h e P e te r W h ite P u b lic L ib r a r y 2 1 7 N . F ro n t S t. M a rq u e tte , M I 4 9 8 5 5 ( 9 0 6 ) 2 2 8 -9 5 1 0 www.pwpl.info 1896 1898 WAWONOWIN COUNTRY CLUB, INC. Marquette Elks 405 906-485-5660 127 Front St Marquette 226-7611 1900 1903 1910 Getz’s Bjork & Zhulkie ™ Mark Canale, Managing Director Jerry Pennock and Charli Lynn Peters, Directors 226-2711 526 N. Third St., Mqt www. canalefuneral.com 1899 137 W. Washington, Downtown Marquette 226-6110 donckersonline.com CLOTHIERS 218 S. Front St. Downtown Marquette 906.226.3561 1401 Presque Isle Ave Marquette, MI nmu.edu/why getz.com 1914 1915 3432 Co. Rd. 478, Champion, MI FUNERAL HOME INC 400 N 3rd St, Ishpeming, MI 49849 (906) 486-8911 www.bjorkandzhulkie.com 1918 “A Step Ahead Since 1910” 135 W. Washington Marquette 906-228-4530 1928 ATHAM O-OP STORE FUNERAL HOME, INC. Groceries • Supplies • Hardware Our 100th Anniversary 106 West Main Street, P.O. Box 146, Negaunee 145 W. Spring St. Marquette 906•226•3571 marquettehistory.org www.koskeyfuneralhome.com Email: [email protected] Mon.-Sat. 7 AM - 8 PM, Sunday 9 AM - 5 PM 200 Hancock St. Hancock, MI 49930 (906) 482-1550 www.vollwerth.com 1936 1937 1938 1939 Northern Stationers Est. 1939 M-94, Chatham • 906.439.5151 of Marquette, Inc. 1015 N. Third St. Marquette 906-226-6575 200 Meeske Ave. Marquette 906-225-1363 luteysflowershop.com www.jilbertdairy.com 1939 Blue Cross Blue Shield Blue Care Network of Michigan bcbsm.com 1942 Workplace & Office 906-475-4631 Bartanen’s Auto Body 106 Coles DR, #2 Marquette 1495 US 41 West Ishpeming, MI 49849 228-7702 906-486-8314 1942 1942 ST. MICHAEL CATHOLIC CHURCH 429 W. Washington St. Marquette (906) 228-8865 215 W. Washington St. Marquette, MI 49855 (906) 226-6610 www.foyeins.com 401 W. Kaye Ave. Corner of Kaye and Presque Isle Ave. 906-228-8180 www.StMichaelMqt.com The Mining Journal -— Tuesday, March 31-— 5L PROGRESS2015 Our Businesses, Our People, All Local 1946 1947 A U.P. Tradition Since 1946 2164 US 41 W Marquette 906-226-5040 1952 107 E. Division St. Ishpeming, MI 49849 906-485-4565 1954 1949 1950 ISHPEMING • 485-5563 1419 North Second Ave. MARQUETTE BUILDERS EXCHANGE MARQUETTE • 228-0624 3225 US 41 West Commercial Construction Plan Room (Inside Walmart) REPUBLIC • 376-0988 279 W. Kloman Ave. www.trunorthcu.org (906) 226-1140 www.mqtbx.org 1954 1956 U.S. Ski & Snowboard Hall Of Fame 1440 W. Ridge St. Suite B Marquette, MI & Museum 1230 West Washington Marquette • 228-9850 610 Palms Ave. P.O. Box 191 Ishpeming, MI 49849 5096 US41 South Harvey • 249-9680 Now serving you in 2 locations! www.marquettecomm.org 906-485-6323 www.SkiHall.com Munising 387-3839 Trenary 446-3301 www.UMCCU.org 1958 1958 1959 PIZZA FATHER MARQUETTE CATHOLIC SCHOOL 906.225.1129 fathermarquette.org 1962 Marquette Veterinary Clinic Dr. Edward G. Brauer II 2270 U.S. 41 South Marquette, MI 49855 249-1456 Blueprint copy & Scan Services LOUNGE Owner Clark E. Lambros bought Bimbo’s Pizza in 1959. In 1971 he renamed the restaurant Vango’s and added his mother’s Greek recipes to Vango’s famous menu. Marquette’s Oldest Restaurant www.marquettevetclinic.com 927 N. Third St., Mqt. Eat-In / Delivery 228-7707 1963 1964 (906) 228-6355 holidaytravelvacations.com 1961 Thill’s Fish House Lower Harbor Downtown Marquette 226-9851 1964 Ben Franklin CRAFT CENTER 100 Coles Drive, Marquette 226-9613 1001 W. Washington St. Marquette 906-226-7728 MARQUETTE 1000 North Third Street (906) 226-6535 HARVEY Corner of M-28 & US 41 (906) 249-1455 www.TogosToGo.com www.mathewsfloorfashions.com 1025 W. Washington St., Marquette 228-9311 1965 1971 1966 1966 1967 423 W. Washington St. Marquette 1414 W. Fair Avenue Marquette (across from Ramada Inn) 906.225.0522 Open 7 Days 7am-2pm 906•225•3905 800•628•3333 www.penmed.com Family owned & managed. 2 5 2 3 U S 4 1 W ., M a r q u e tte , M I 1972 1972 1973 (906) 228-2280 www.cedarmi.com • Specialty Groceries • Catering HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCE 2152 US 41 West Marquette, MI 906-226-2169 www.householdmqt.com 1225 W. Washington Marquette 906-228-8242 250 W. Hampton St. Marquette, MI 49855 Economy & Quality. 906-226-2131 6L -— The Mining Journal -— Tuesday, March 31 PROGRESS2015 Our Businesses, Our People, All Local 1973 1973 1973 1975 216 S. Main St. Ishpeming, MI 49849 2552 US Hwy 41 W. Marquette, MI 49855 5 E. Baraga Ave. L’Anse, MI 49946 906-485-6420 graybillandmead.com Richard M. Graybill, Daniel D. Mead Amy Schultz Dakota Evans 1978 Negaunee Vet Clinic 802 South Lake St. P.O. Box 308 Marquette, MI 49855 Email: [email protected] www.lakesuperiorpress.net NegauneeVet.com Complete Pet Health Care! 1900 US 41 West Ishpeming, MI 49849 phone 906-485-1051 fax 906-485-4372 www.rlbalconi.com 1978 1978 1980 East 30 US 41 Negaunee, MI 49866 906-475-7851 500 N. Third St. Marquette, MI 49855 Formerly Employee Benefits Agency Inc. 228-3232 2684 U.S. 41 West, Marquette, Michigan schwalbachkitchens.com Each Office Independently Owned & Operated 620 S. Lake St., Marquette 228.6255 • 888.269.7620 www.upprimerealty.com www.44n.com www.upbuilders.org 1980 1981 914 N. Third St. Marquette, MI 49855 PH. (906) 226-7680 FAX (906) 226-7750 www.upembroidery.com 1983 1516 Birch Ave Marquette Serving the Central U.P. with trusted reliable service. 1982 RESTAURANT & LOUNGE 1106 N. Third Marquette, MI 228-5012 ’ S TINO BAR & PIZZA Elder Law Firm of Anderson Associates www.thecasa.us 1983 1984 434 U.S. 41 East, Negaunee, MI 49866 1986 906-228-4236 marvdemilio.com 1986 Creative Interiors V o te d A m e r ic a ’s C o o le s t Je w e lr y S to r e in 2 0 0 4 . www.swailes.com 249-5016 1 1 8 W . W a s h in g to n S t. M a rq u e tte , M I 4 9 8 5 5 ( 9 0 6 ) 2 2 8 -5 7 7 5 w a n d w je w e le r s .c o m 1986 1987 29 years serving you! 6 3 8 5 U S 4 1 S ., C h o c o la y T w p . 6 M ile s S o u th o f M a r q u e tte ( 9 0 6 ) 2 4 9 -3 4 4 4 1988 P ro files gn In Hair Desi Commercial Residential (906) 228-9478 1984 Marv DeMilio, Agent 712 Chippewa Square Marquette (906)-228-3737 1985 Let us cure your hunger pains! “For your peace of mind” 148 W. Hewitt Ave. Marquette (906)228-6212 At The Marquette Mall 1982 Eat at Casa Calabria (906) 228-6426 1984 (906) 228-5230 226-3602 412 S. Front St. 641 W. Washington St. Marquette, MI 49855 across from the Father Marquette Statue on Front Street www.selectrlty.com 1989 econo foods Fresh Savings...Now!! 1401 O’Dovero Dr., Marquette 226-3500 TadychsEconofoods.com The Mining Journal -— Tuesday, March 31-— 7L PROGRESS2015 Our Businesses, Our People, All Local 1989 1993 1996 Westwood Mall Marquette 354 US 41 East Negaunee, MI 49866 906-475-4900 Westwood Mall Marquette (906) 226-8900 (906) 225-9600 www.jandronsfinejewelry.com “Your Second Nature is our First Priority!” www.jandronsfinejewelry.com 1997 1997 1998 1996 Marquette 906-869-8008 1998 CRAM’S General Store and Hungry Hollow Cafe Marcia Dionne CTA Travel Consultant 429 N. 3rd St. Marquette, MI 49855 Phone: (906) 226-9899 OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK! 123 W. Baraga Ave., Marquette upchildrensmuseum.com 226-3911 2000 2001 3020 US 41 W Westwood Mall Marquette 906-225-9752 Joe & Kathy Cram Big Bay • 906-345-0075 cramsgeneralstore.com 2002 2004 PEPP MOTORS Dale Carrier, Owner 354 US 41 East Negaunee, MI 49866 906.228.7279 2203 US 41 W., Marquette 877.676.0586 5 miles West of Marquette on US 41 2006 2006 130 W. Baraga Ave. Marquette, MI 49855 906-225-5020 906-475-4900 Enjoy us by the cup, or by the pound! 119 W. Baraga Ave. www.gardenbouquetanddesign.com 226-2112 • Open Mon.-Sat. M-F 9am-6pm, Sat. 10am-5pm 2008 2008 911 Lakeshore Blvd. Marquette, MI 49855 ALL MAKES & MODELS 630 S. Lake St. (ACROSS FROM THE POWER PLANT) 349 US 41 East Negaunee MARQUETTE, MI. 226-6563 www.joesautocare.com 906-475-6608 2008 2008 116 S. Main St Ishpeming, MI 49849 486-6607 www.cocosup.com 2009 2009 9535 US-41 S. Skandia, MI 49885 521 N. Third St. Marquette 906-226-8224 942-7176 amcafeup.com View us on Facebook! www.mainstreetcosmetology.com 2009 2009 Upper Peninsula Abatement Company Inc. WAUTIER WELLNESS email: [email protected] 349 US 41 East Negaunee, MI 49866 Phone: 906-250-6710 Fax: 906-475-4902 228-2680 1950 US 41 West Marquette, MI 906-226-1062 2011 2013 CHIROPRACTIC Gwinn 55 W. M35 346-9000 Ishpeming 1000 Country Lane, Suite 250 486-2000 www.wautierwellness.com www.wautierwellness.net NEW OWNERS Shelly & Dave Thibeault 204 Cleveland Ave., Ishpeming, MI 49849 486-4797 2013 1224 Wright St. Ste. C Marquette 2873 US 41 West Marquette, MI 49855 (906) 226-2169 www.artvan.com 906.273.0696 PeakGymFit.com 8L -— The Mining Journal -— Tuesday, March 31 PROGRESS2015 ATC releases 10-year energy assessment; U.P. projects included By JOHN PEPIN Journal Staff Writer MARQUETTE — The American Transmission Co. — which owns almost 3,000 miles of electric transmission lines — recently released its new 10-year system assessment, which includes projects planned to improve system reliability for the Upper Peninsula. Company officials said the new 17-page report describes “the need for continued investment to address not only reliability needs, but also to respond to an evolving regional energy market and changes in public policy concerning air quality rules and renewable energy standards.” "The energy landscape in which we operate today looks vastly different than it did when we began operations in 2001," Ron Snead, ATC vice president of system planning, said in a news release. "The grid is being asked to perform in ways it was not originally intended. We continue to work with our interconnected customers to meet their reliability needs and to share information about how changes in their operations impact our system." In the recent report, projects and proposed work planned for five zones are detailed. The service area for ATCs transmission lines includes the U.P., the eastern half of Wisconsin and north central Illinois. In all, the new planning analysis calls for $3.3 billion to $3.9 billion in infrastructure investment, including $1.4 billion in specific network projects, $1.2 billion in maintenance, $500 million in regional Multi-Value Projects and $200 million to $800 million in other capital projects. "Transmission remains a good value for electricity consumers," Snead said, adding that transmission costs within the ATC service territory remain about 8 to 9 percent of a retail customer's electric bill. Since 2001 — when ATC was formed as a utility focused on transmission only — the company has upgraded more than 1,824 miles of transmission lines; improved 165 electric substations and built 48 new transmission lines stretching a distance of 600 miles. The U.P. is situated within ATCs Zone 2, which also includes a portion of northern Wisconsin. The report said ATC delivers power in the zone with various transmission facilities, including Morgan-Plains and Plains-Dead River 345-kilovolt lines and 138-kilovolt lines elsewhere, including facilities linking the U.P. with the Lower Peninsula. “There are a number of transmission system performance issues in Zone 2, including limited ability to import or export power, generator instability, overloaded power lines and equipment, low system voltages and chronic limitations to transmission service,” the report stated. According to ATC, primary drivers of those issues include a mismatch of load to generation in the U.P. and aging facilities in poor or obsolete condition. Additional studies — including those by ATC and the Midcontinent Independent System Operator — found several voltage and thermal limitations in the region. The ATC report said the most severe of the limitations occur during off-peak periods. Peak usage is during the winter. Between 2014 and 2023, ATC projects population to grow annually about 0.4 percent and employment to grow about 0.8 percent. Marquette County is projected to have the largest increase in employment. Through 2024, electric load in the zone is predicted to increase by 0.5 percent each year. There are seven U.P.-related projects for Zone 2 briefly described in the ATC report. Among them, there are four planned projects, one provisional project and two asset renewal projects. John Pepin can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 206. His email address is [email protected]. Thanks to all our loyal customers for choosing Domino’s as your pizza delivery company! Every order is treated like it’s being made for our families in other words with pride just for you! We don’t ever forget that we couldn’t do all we do, without the hard work and dedication of our entire crew! Thank you for braving the elements another year with smiles on, and representing not only the Domino’s brand but also the Lambert familly. A Michigan Company for over 50 years! Locally owned by Adam & Bobbi Lambert! 641 W. Washington St., Marquette • 228-4630 www.dominos.com
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