Xcel Energy has received approval from the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin to move forward with the Western Wisconsin Transmission Connection (WWTC) project. The new 345-kilovolt (kV) transmission line is a key step to delivering continued electric reliability and connecting Wisconsin’s electric grid to a growing network of low-cost renewable energy across the Upper Midwest.

“The WWTC project represents a critical investment in Wisconsin’s energy future,” according to Karl Hoesly, President, Xcel Energy – Wisconsin and Michigan. “It reflects years of collaboration with communities and regulators to ensure a stronger, more resilient grid that can serve customers reliably for decades to come.”

Once complete, the WWTC project will enhance Xcel Energy’s Wisconsin transmission network and support ongoing grid improvements across the Upper Midwest, ensuring customers continue to receive reliable, low-cost power as demand grows. The roughly 80-mile transmission line will connect new and existing substations, beginning near Blair in Trempealeau County, connecting to a substation near Eau Claire, and linking to an existing 345-kV line near Owen in Clark County.

Once complete, the WWTC will provide a strong connection to Wisconsin’s 345-kV transmission network, helping enhance the reliability, efficiency and delivery of energy to customers in the region.

WWTC also represents one segment of the Midcontinent Independent System Operator’s (MISO) Tranche 1 portfolio — a series of transmission projects designed to expand access to renewable energy and improve reliability across the Midwest. WWTC will interconnect with new and existing transmission lines under development in southern Minnesota, western Wisconsin and central Wisconsin, further strengthening the regional grid and advancing the transition to a cleaner energy future.