Recently formed Duke-American Transmission Co. (DACT) has launched its first set of proposed transmission projects.

In April 2011 Duke Energy Corp. (NYSE: DUK) and American Transmission Co. (ATC) partnered to create DATC. The new transmission utility joins both companies extensive experience building, operating and maintaining transmission lines and will provide advanced transmission infrastructure solutions throughout North American.

With this announcement DACT makes a significant splash into the market. The company will make proposals to both the Midwest Independent Transmission System Operator, Inc. (MISO) and PJM Interconnection LLC (PJM) for seven transmission projects that combined will cost $4 billion. The projects, which range in size, will include a combined 1,850 miles of transmission lines located in the Midwest states of Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana and Ohio.

The largest project, which has an estimated cost of $2 billion, will connect new DATC substations in Northwestern Iowa to a new DATC HVDC terminal in Central Illinois. Along with 5 new substations and the HVDC terminal the project also includes building transmission lines of varying voltage capacity that combined will stretch 696 miles.

When the companies launched DACT Duke Energy Commercial Businesses Senior Vice President Phil Grigsby said, "Duke Energy and ATC share the belief that sound transmission infrastructure can serve as a springboard for next-generation energy technologies." Thier new company seems to stand behind that statement. All seven of the proposed projects have some language around supporting existing wind and renewables development or the project will "encourage future development of nearby wind."

If approved the projects will be constructed over the next 10 years.

Image Credit: Seattle Municipal Archives via Flickr.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is a cross-post from EnergyBoom.com.

 

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Original Post: http://www.energyboom.com/emerging/duke-american-transmission-co-announces-4-billion-transmission-projects