Dive Summary:
- The Chicago-based Integrys Energy gained regulatory approval for a $220 million modernization project for its Wisconsin Public Service subsidiary.
- A five-year project starting in 2014, Integrys will build 1,000 miles of overhead distribution lines and 400 miles of distribution automation equipment.
- The project will help curb extended outages, the Wisconsin Public Service Vice President of Energy Delivery Vern Peterson reports.
From the article:
"In the affected areas, electric reliability is significantly lower than state and national averages. The areas we will target are those in which customers are repeatedly faced with the loss of power due to storms - sometimes for several days. When [the project] is complete, these customers will see a level of reliability closer to levels that customers in the rest of the company's service territory already experience."