Wisconsin Foxconn plant may get $140M electricity project

MOUNT PLEASANT, Wis. — A utility company is asking state regulators to approve a $140 million project to supply electricity to the massive Foxconn manufacturing complex in southeastern Wisconsin.

American Transmission Co. says the massive plant is expected to draw six times more power than the next-largest factory in the state, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported. ATC wants to build a new substation east of the facility and connect it with high-voltage power lines.

The company plans to file an application with the state Public Service Commission in February and seek a decision on the project by August.

Construction would begin late next year on the substation if the project is approved, ATC said. Transmission lines would be built in early 2019 and power would begin flowing by late 2019 or early 2020. The utility would need to acquire easements or use eminent domain authority to build the transmission lines.

The cost of the project would be spread among about 5 million residential electric customers over 40 years, the utility said.

“The typical residential customer would pay pennies per year over the life of the project,” ATC spokeswoman Alissa Braatz said.

The utility doesn’t operate the power-generating plants, but instead owns and runs the high-voltage systems that deliver electricity. Wisconsin utilities including We Energies, Wisconsin Public Service, Alliant Energy, Madison Gas & Electric and Superior Water, Light and Power co-own ATC.

Foxconn’s $10 billion, 13,000-employee complex will be built in Mount Pleasant. The Taiwan-based company plans to manufacture advanced liquid crystal display panels for commercial and consumer uses, including televisions.