A controversial power transmission line stretching from Dubuque County to Dane County, Wis., is complete and operational. The Cardinal-Hickory Creek Transmission Line project, co-owned by ITC Midwest, Dairyland Cooperative and American Transmission Company, spans 102 miles. Construction on the line began in 2021. The project drew significant attention due to plans to run about one mile of the line through the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge near Cassville. A legal battle with multiple conservation advocacy groups went on for years, but ultimately the line was allowed to be built through the refuge. The project was originally part of a set of 17 projects approved by the Midcontinent Independent System Operator in 2011 with the goal of improving reliability and reducing energy costs. It is the last of the projects to be completed.
