Utilities and renewable advocates say the projects will aid the clean energy transition, but some consumer groups have expressed concerns about the costs. Three new transmission lines that are estimated to cost around $2.2 billion will cross through Wisconsin under a large expansion approved by the Midwest grid operator that’s designed to facilitate the clean energy transition.

The Board of the Midcontinent Independent System Operator signed off on a $10.3 billion portfolio of 18 transmission projects for the Upper Midwest on July 25. The lines are expected to support 53 gigawatts of renewable energy and provide between $23 to $52 billion in benefits as utilities retire aging coal plants. Projects in Wisconsin are slated to start coming online as early as 2028.

"Overall, the projects approved by the Midcontinent ISO (MISO) will lead to continued electric reliability in Wisconsin and throughout the Midwest, increased access to renewable energy, and the ability to keep bills affordable for our customers," said Chris Ouellette, a spokesperson for Xcel Energy. "The projects will help all Midwestern utilities ensure reliability when integrating the variable nature of renewable energy and increased resilience in the face of severe weather events."

The work affecting Wisconsin represents roughly double the investment proposed for the state during the last round of transmission lines approved by MISO in 2011. That included what is now known as the Cardinal-Hickory Creek transmission line. That project has been hotly contested, and it’s the final undertaking from that round still being built. The regional grid operator plans to begin issuing requests for proposals this fall. All projects approved would be built in MISO’s Midwest sub region that includes Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin. Utilities building the transmission lines would still need the approval of state regulators. The cost would be paid by customers in that region.

The state’s five largest investor-owned utilities have all pledged to go carbon neutral by 2050. President Biden has set a goal for the nation’s power sector to have net-zero emissions by 2035. As the clean energy transition has accelerated, MISO developed the long range transmission plan to ensure reliable power as more renewable generation is tied into the grid and to boost resiliency amid extreme storms.