The Cardinal-Hickory Creek Transmission Line continues to get more and more expensive. We’re now talking half a billion dollars, thanks to material costs and court cases. Worst of all, prices are probably going to continue to climb.
Here’s Five Fast Facts About the Transmission Line’s Cost
- 💰 The What Line? - The power line is planned to run for a 100 mile stretch between Dane County and Dubuque Iowa. It was approved way back in 2019 and had an estimated cost of $429m.
- 💡 The Why Line? - The line, built by ATC was supposed to create between $23m and $350m in economic benefits over 40 years. Wisconsinites were originally supposed to foot $67m (or 16%) of the total project costs.
- 🌿 What’s the problem? - There have been several legal cases filed due to the environmental impact on an area in southern Wisconsin and the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife Refuge. Environmental groups also say the approval process was done incorrectly and in bad faith. Judges keep siding with the environmental groups, btw.
- 💸 So A Bunch of Tree Huggers? - Not quite. ATC insists everything is just too expensive, pointing to the ridonkulous costs of steel, conductors, and insulators.
- 💰 What’s It Costing Me? - Way more than $67 million. ATC has now spent $227m on the project and it’s nowhere near completion. Plus, 16% of half a billion is, well, a lot.
🔥Bottom line: The original idea for the line was great! But now, ATC is refusing to give up, with the project now well into sunk cost fallacy territory. It’s a prime example of how poor planning can cause problems for your paycheck. On the off chance that they get the green light to continue, it may deliver on its promises, but the final ROI will have to be substantial to make up the costs..
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