Milwaukee substation blends in with mixed-use development
USA, Wisconsin, Milwaukee: WEC Energy Group’s innovative urban substation project improves electric reliability in downtown Milwaukee.
Image source: T&D World
USA, Wisconsin, Milwaukee: WEC Energy Group’s innovative urban substation project improves electric reliability in downtown Milwaukee.
WEC Energy Group’s Juneautown substation project was unlike any other in the utility’s history. The 138/13.2 kV substation is built partially below ground, enclosed within a building and part of a larger residential and commercial development. Adding to the engineering challenge, the substation is set in a dense urban neighbourhood, east of the Milwaukee River in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Not only did engineers have to route a new transmission line under the Milwaukee River and through streets already packed with underground infrastructure, but they also had to create a workable floor plan on a small parcel that fit architecturally and structurally into the overall development as well as address the grounding and bonding concerns that came with connecting the substation building to the mixed-use development.
Completing this project improved switching options, provided capacity for load growth and mitigated risk associated with electric distribution river crossings. The Juneautown substation project also ensured WEC Energy Group and its utility subsidiary We Energies can keep the lights on and energy flowing to critical customers — including federal, state and municipal buildings, major commercial and residential high-rise developments, and public gathering sites — for years to come.
“The alternative was to extend an existing transmission source west of the Milwaukee River to serve a new substation east of the river,” said Steve Pecha, engineering manager for WEC Energy Group. “We estimated this work to cost $67.2 M plus an additional $34.6 M in costs for American Transmission Co. (ATC).Through a best-value planning process, we determined that this was the most cost-effective and most feasible solution.”
The new substation consists of a state-of-the-art 138 kV gas-insulated switchgear (GIS) with two 65 MVA transformers and a 13.2 kV switchgear with ultimate capacity for 20 distribution feeders. We Energies and ATC jointly own and operate the substation.
Source: T&D World
#138/13.2 kV substation#American Transmission Co#mixed-use development#USA#WEC Energy Group