Dairyland Power defends its replacing old towers with new, despite opposition from residents

New, taller towers would go
over homes and businesses

There is some criticism recently for how Dairyland Power Cooperative is reconstructing a power line through La Crosse.

the project is set to begin construction in September, however, after an environmental assessment on the final nine-mile stretch through La Crosse was just completed.  

“This line is critical to the La Crosse area,” Dairyland’s Deb Mirasola said. “It is a main resource of energy to all the la Crosse area communities.”

The final nine-mile segment – from Briggs Road to north La Crosse – is part of a $16 million project from Genoa to Alma to replace 65-year-old wooden support structures with new steel towers that are also twice as tall.

The segment has raised the most objections with critics just recently complaining about how the decades-old line runs directly over homes and businesses. They are advocating for forcing Dairyland to relocate the line.  

The project uses the right of way of the current towers and, in some cases, runs directly over homes and businesses.

“It’s really important that it gets upgraded to provide that ongoing reliable power for our surrounding communities,” Mirasola argues.