Town of Wheaton, Chippewa County, Wisconsin
Docket ID: 4220-CE-185
Application of Northern States Power Company-Wisconsin for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity to Repower the Wheaton Generating Station in Chippewa County, Wisconsin.
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Application Summary
Overview: Northern States Power Company-Wisconsin (NSPW) is proposing construction of a new electric generation facility with a total nameplate capacity of 255 MW. Major components of the project include one F-class Combustion Turbine (CT) generator (210 MW) and five Reciprocating Internal Combustion Engine (RICE) units (9 MW each), which would all be capable of operating with natural gas or No. 2 fuel oil. The facilities would also include accessory structures for water preparation and storage, fuel storage and handling, electrical interconnection, and other support functions. The CT and RICE units would be interconnected to the existing onsite interconnection point currently utilized by Wheaton Units 1-4 and 6, which would be retired in conjunction with the proposed project. Water for nitrogen oxide control and closed cooling would be provided by the existing plant well water supply system. NSPW has provided a proposed site layout and an alternative site layout for the Commission’s consideration.
Applicant stated need: The proposed project is needed to provide needed capacity, stability support, and transmission system reliability, particularly at times of peak energy demand, as NSPW and Northern States Power – Minnesota (NSP-M, and collectively the NSP Companies) retire their coal fleet and other dispatchable generation assets in the Upper Midwest are scheduled to retire or reach the end of their contract lives.
Estimated cost: The construction cost of the proposed project is currently estimated at $244 million ($914/kilowatt [kW] based on average total capacity of 267 MW) without Allowance for Funds Used During Construction (AFUDC). Capital expenditures with AFUDC is estimated to be $263 million.
Project Location: The proposed project would be located on approximately six acres of property currently owned by NSPW in the Town of Wheaton, in Chippewa County.
Proposed schedule:
- The application was submitted to the Commission in January of 2023.
- If approved, the anticipated construction schedule for this project would begin in the Fall of 2023. The project is proposed to be completed and in service by September of 2025.
Statutory Review
This electric generation facility is a
Type II action under
Wis. Admin. Code § PSC 4.10(2). The Commission will prepare an Environmental Assessment (EA) for this project that will evaluate the location of the project and its potential environmental, community, and private property impacts. There will be a preliminary determination when the EA is complete that will determine whether the preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement is necessary. Comments on this preliminary determination will be accepted and considered before a final determination is made. At the time of the preliminary determination, the Commission shall make copies of the EA available to those persons that request it.
Key Application Documents
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Access Docket 4220-CE-185
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