Wauwatosa growth sparks power expansion

Daily Reporter (Milwaukee), Mar 21, 2008 by Sean Ryan

We Energies wants to spend $5.1 million to enlarge its power plant in Wauwatosa to meet demand from new developments.

And, in a few years, it will spend even more to expand the plant if planned construction projects at the Milwaukee Regional Medical Center turn into reality, said Steve Quade, director of engineering in We Energies' fossil operations business unit.

"This was a little bit on the shorter-term need type of thing on the contingency issue because the growth has occurred a little bit quicker than anticipated," Quade said. "We could have to look at some other things in the future based on the growth that they're expecting."

Expansions of the Medical College of Wisconsin and Blood Center of Southeastern Wisconsin came faster than the utility expected, so it must complete its first expansion before winter returns rather than waiting to do it all in one project, he said.

The Public Service Commission of Wisconsin on March 13 approved We Energies' plan to add a natural gas boiler to its plant, and We Energies is now trying to get a Department of Natural Resources air permit. Before approving the job, PSC staff determined it would be best to do the project now and deal with future needs later, said Scot Cullen, chief engineer in the PSC's Gas and Energy Division.

"At least the case that (We Energies) put in for us is that there's some sizeable needs," he said.

The actual growth in Wauwatosa, not to mention the proposed 80- acre University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee campus, is generating discussions of sewer, road and water improvements along with power.

Nancy Welch, Wauwatosa director of community development, said the area's sewer and water pipes will need expansion and updates, the water tower in the Milwaukee County Research Park might need renovation or replacement, and the area needs to deal with increasing traffic. The state Department of Transportation's planning for the Zoo Interchange project will include planning for projects around Watertown Plank Road, which borders the research park and medical complex.

"We know there are traffic issues in the area, and we know these traffic issues will not be addressed simply by widening streets," she said. "We need to look at alternatives."

Bill Kappel, Wauwatosa director of public works, said there has been talk of setting up a mass transit system to run shuttles among the research park, Medical College of Wisconsin campus, downtown Wauwatosa and Mayfair Mall. A lot of that would depend on whether UWM builds a campus in the area and what it would need in additional busing, he said.

The area is approaching the point where it will need larger water mains and better sanitary sewer connections, Welch said.

Milwaukee County owns most of the land in the area, including the Regional Medical Center and the 80-acre site UWM is eyeing for its campus. The county asked the city to take responsibility for its roads, sewers and water, Welch and Kappel said.

But the city doesn't want to inherit the cost of upgrading the systems to accommodate development, Welch said.

"We said that if the county will bring it up to our standards, we will take over management," she said. "The current state of the discussion is we are discussing it. We are open to the suggestions."

Robert Dennik, head of the county's Economic and Community Development Division, said he hasn't heard of any discussions about the city taking over county-owned services.

Dennik said he's more engaged in trying to bring in UWM and working with tenants in the Regional Medical Center to see what their needs are. He joined Wauwatosa officials in welcoming the We Energies' project.

The county originally built and operated the power plant, which already has two coal-fired boilers and a gas- and oil-fired boiler, Quade said. We Energies bought it in 1997 because it offered a good opportunity to expand the utility's customer base, he said.

"Our core business is energy production," he said. "The county was interested in selling it and they approached us."