PSC Sets Public Hearings on Arrowhead-
          Weston Transmission Line Project

          MADISON – The Public Service Commission (PSC) has scheduled three public hearings
in early October in areas along the proposed route of the Arrowhead-Weston transmission line
project.  The PSC has also set a timeframe in September for written comment from the public.

          Citizens can provide oral testimony or submit written testimony on the transmission line
project at the following locations on the following dates:

          In addition to receiving oral and written testimony at the public hearings, the PSC also set
a time period from September 16-24 where public testimony on the Arrowhead-Weston
transmission line project can be submitted to the PSC in writing.  This is another way for
interested citizens who are unable to attend the public hearings to provide testimony on the
transmission line project.  Written testimony should include the person’s name and address and
can be sent by mail between September 16-24 to:

          Jim Lepinski, Docket Coordinator
          Public Service Commission of Wisconsin
          P.O. Box 7854
          Madison, Wisconsin 53707-7854

          Technical hearings on the Arrowhead-Weston transmission line project are slated to
begin September 16, 2003 in Madison. The applicants, intervenors and other parties will address
the technical aspects of the transmission line project at the technical hearings.

          The testimony from the public hearings, the public’s written testimony and the technical
hearings will be part of the record that is developed for the Commission to review as it considers
all the different aspects of the Arrowhead-Weston transmission line project.  Due to the judicial
nature of the proceedings, parties’ attorney will have an opportunity to review and object to the
written testimony before it is included in the record.

          In October 2001, the Commission approved the application from the American
Transmission Company, Wisconsin Public Service and Minnesota Power to construct a 210-mile
345 kilovolt transmission line linking the Arrowhead substation near Duluth, Minnesota with the
Weston substation near Wausau, Wisconsin.

          The Commission reopened the case in December 2002 after receiving a revised cost
estimate from the applicants.  In the reopened case, the Commission decided to focus on the
following issues:

• Cost estimates for Arrowhead-Weston and four other extra high voltage
  transmission line alternatives identified in the 1999 Wisconsin Reliability
  Assessment Organization report and the Commission record for this case.
  
  
• Other cost-effective and technically feasible solutions that would resolve the
  reliability concerns that were identified in the Arrowhead-Weston case.
  
  
• Cost benefit analysis on whether Arrowhead-Weston continues to be a reasonable
  choice compared with other identified solutions.
  
  

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