How is electric power in the western Upper Peninsula currently generated and where does that power come from?  This is relevant to potential commercial suppliers of wind power because they will have to transmit their power over local transmission lines.

The diagram below illustrates the major components of an electric power grid:

• Power generation facilities
• Transmission lines
• Distribution lines
• Power consumers

Source

Power generation facilities can be owned by a utility or by independent power producers.  A commercial wind farm would be considered a power generation facility.   Electricity from power generation facilities flows over high voltage transmission lines to substations that connect the transmission grid to lower voltage distribution lines.  Residential customers connect to the low-voltage distribution network.  In the western U.P., the distribution grid is operated by the Upper Peninsula Power Company (UPPCO).

The major power generation facilities in the area are the fossil fuel facilities listed in Table 1.  The main local source of power is the 617 MW facility in Marquette. The 25 MW facility is mainly to help in meeting peak power demands.

Table 1 : Fossil Fuel Power Generation in the Western UP  (Source)

Companies also operate the hydro plants listed in Table 2. 

Table 2 : Hydro Power in the Western UP  (Source)

Currently, no commercial wind turbines in the western U.P. are supplying power to the local transmission grid.

Transmission lines deliver power from generation facilities to the distribution networks operated by local utilities.  The main transmission line delivering power to the western U.P. comes from Marquette, carrying power generated by the Presque Isle coal-fired power plant.   A second line comes from Wisconsin, entering Michigan near Iron Mountain and then branching toward the west.  The two lines meet around Baraga, with one continuing up to Houghton and the other running west toward Ontonagon.

These transmission lines are operated by the American Transmission Company. Utilities and power generation facilities pay a service charge for use of these transmission lines.  A fraction of the amount paid by consumers of electricity is to pay for this transmission service fee.

The transmission grid for the entire Midwest is heavily interconnected and operates as a single market.  An independent company (Midwest Independent Transmission System Operator, Inc.) monitors the flow of power through this market and keeps track of all major consumers and generators connected to the transmission grid. 

The local distribution system is the network to which residential customers are connected.  It receives its power through substations that are connected to the high-voltage transmission grid.  Any residential customer that operates a small wind turbine can also feed power back into the distribution grid.

In the western U.P., the distribution system is operated by the Upper Peninsula Power Company (UPPCO).  UPPCO, headquartered in Houghton, provides electric service to about 50,000 customers. It serves 10 of the 15 counties in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.  A fraction of the amount paid by consumers of electricity is to pay for UPPCO's distribution service.   UPPCO is owned by WPS Resources, which operates a number of energy-related companies in the Wisconsin area.

Wind Power in the Western Upper Peninsula