Grid Forward (LRTP 6) Project
Project Overview
Xcel Energy is committed to serving reliable and affordable electricity for customers in Western Wisconsin and throughout the Upper Midwest. As electric use in the region grows, aging plants retire, and new power plants connect to the system, energy companies in the Midwest are planning to build new transmission lines, ensuring customers have the electricity they need to power their homes, businesses and lives.
Construction of the Grid Forward-Central Wisconsin/LRTP 6 project is a collaboration between Xcel Energy and ATC. The full project is comprised of rebuilding approximately 175 miles of existing electric power lines to support the construction of approximately 200 miles of 345 kV high-voltage line from the Larkin Valley Substation (previously known as the Tremval North Substation) in Trempealeau County to the Columbia Substation in Columbia County.
The Grid Forward–Central Wisconsin Project represents one segment of the Midcontinent Independent System Operator’s (MISO) Tranche 1 portfolio — a series of transmission projects designed to expand access to renewable energy and improve reliability across the Midwest. The project will also help relieve constraints on the electric grid, improve reliability, and provide access to lower-cost energy, including renewable generation.
Resources
Project Information Sheet (Opens in a new window) Seeding Information Sheet (Opens in a new window) Transmission Line Construction (Opens in a new window) Safety Around Power Lines (Opens in a new window) Birds and Power Lines (Opens in a new window) ATC GridForward Project Site (Opens in a new window)Project Details
Xcel Energy is responsible for constructing the portion of the project that runs from the Larkin Valley Substation near the City of Blair in Trempealeau County to a transmission tower location known as the “Golden Spike” located approximately 3 miles south of Neilsville, WI. The total length of this segment is approximately39.25 miles. WPPI Energy and the Southern Minnesota Municipal Power Agency (SMMPA) are co-owners of the segment being constructed by Xcel Energy.
The new 345 kV transmission line from the Larkin Valley Substation to Arpin Substation will primarily be in double-circuit configuration with existing infrastructure, which would be rebuilt to accommodate the new line. As part of the routing and siting process, the new power lines will make extensive use of existing infrastructure corridors to help reduce the impact on local areas and communities. This will allow for shorter implementation time.
Route Details
The approved route will travel from the Larkin Valley Substation northeast into Jackson County toward Alma Center then east through Clark County and Wood County to the Arpin Substation.
For more information on the line running from the Golden Spike location to Columbia Substation visit the ATC website.
Current Status
The Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (PSCW) approved the Grid Forward project on October 30, 2025 and issued its final written order on December 10, 2025. Xcel Energy will now begin working on detailed design and engineering, as well as negotiations with landowners to purchase easements where the transmission line will be built. Pre-construction ground activities are expected to begin in late 2026 with general construction to begin in 2027 and the project to be in service in 2030.
Photo Simulations
Typical Structures
Single pole, single circuit structure with weathering (rust colored) steel
Project Timeline
- Filed Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity application with the PSCW: Late 2024
- PSCW Decision received: Late 2025
- Pre-construction ground activities: 2026-2027
- General construction: 2027-2030
- Project in service: 2030