Edgerton, Wis. – April 11, 2012 – Wisconsin Power and Light Company (WPL), an Alliant Energy company, will begin another Power Wisconsin Project to improve the reliability of its electric system in the Edgerton area. The project will include replacing 131 electric poles and 3.5 miles of overhead power line just north of the city limits in the Town of Albion. The work is expected to begin the week of April 23 and will continue into early August.
The pole and overhead line replacement project area will stretch from the north city limits of Edgerton along Edgerton Road, will continue along Edgerton Road, and then will go east along State Highway 106. The project will stop at the intersection of State Highway 106 and State Highway 73 just east of the Interstate. Alliant Energy’s investment in the project is over $850,000.
“The electric poles and overhead line in this area were originally constructed in the 1950s and they have for the most part performed well over the years,” said Scott Gelbach, Alliant Energy Manager of Customer Operations. “However, given their age, we believe replacing them now will improve the reliability of our electric service in the area and reduce the number and length of outages for our customers.”
There will be electric outages as the construction progresses when customers are switched from the old overhead line to the new line but these are expected to last less than two hours. Alliant Energy will make every effort to inform customers before any outages occur, including phone calls and door hangers at customer locations. The company asks that drivers use caution in the area during the project and slow down when workers are nearby.
Alliant Energy’s 2012 Power Wisconsin Plan includes approximately $60 million of planned investments this year in upgrading overhead and underground electric lines, electric substations and natural gas infrastructure. Power Wisconsin’s goal is to improve system reliability, reduce outages, and provide more reliable power to Alliant Energy’s Wisconsin customers.
Media Contact: Scott Reigstad, (608) 458-3145