Regulatory Update: Public Service Commission of Wisconsin Direct Testimony for Grid Forward Central Wisconsin Project

Strategic Insights -

Ken Rineer, a part-time Environmental Analyst-Advanced in the Division of Digital Access, Consumer and Environmental Affairs at the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin, provided direct testimony on behalf of American Transmission Company LLC and Northern States Power Company-Wisconsin for the Grid Forward Central Wisconsin Project. Rineer's testimony, submitted on July 10, 2025, described his responsibilities and expertise, including his educational background and previous work experience.

Key Takeaways:

  • Rineer has a Bachelor of Science in Plant Science and a Master of Science in Genetics from Pennsylvania State University, and has completed graduate studies in geography at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
  • He began his employment with the Public Service Commission in 1992 and worked on numerous power line and power plant projects, including environmental impact statements for the Alma-La Crosse transmission project and the North Appleton to Morgan transmission project.
  • Rineer coordinated the preparation of environmental impact statements for several proposed power plant projects and was one of the authors of the environmental impact statements for the Central Wisconsin, Arrowhead-Weston, and Morgan-Werner West transmission line projects.
  • He described his responsibilities in the docket as describing general regional natural resources in the project area and potential impacts to natural resource properties, upland forest lands, and grasslands along the proposed transmission routes.
  • Rineer authored sections 2.5, 5.1.1, 5.2.2, and 5.2.3 of the environmental impact statement (Ex.-PSC-FEIS) in collaboration with DNR staff.
  • The sources of information used by Rineer included application and data request response materials, aerial photographs, maps, and data tables provided by the applicants, as well as comments from local government officials and the public.

Statistics:

  • The department has worked on 23 power line and power plant projects, including transmission projects such as the Alma-La Crosse and North Appleton to Morgan projects.
  • Rineer has authored environmental impact statements for 5 transmission line projects, including the Central Wisconsin, Arrowhead-Weston, Morgan-Werner West, Rockdale-West Middleton, and Badger-Coulee projects.
  • The Public Service Commission of Wisconsin was established in 1977.

Sources:

  • American Transmission Company LLC and Northern States Power Company-Wisconsin (2025)
  • Direct Testimony of Ken Rineer (Division of Digital Access, Consumer and Environmental Affairs, Public Service Commission of Wisconsin) dated July 10, 2025.
  • Docket 5-CE-157, Public Service Commission of Wisconsin
  • Grid Forward Central Wisconsin Project (application materials and data request response)