Jo-Carroll Energy System
Jo-Carroll Energy and ITC Midwest collaborate to deliver reliable electric service
Project Summary
Improved reliability and increased capacity are two major benefits consumer-members of the Jo-Carroll Energy system are enjoying as the result of transmission work completed last year by ITC Midwest.
Working together since 2007, the utilities took the next step three years ago when ITC Midwest acquired approximately 45 miles of 34.5 kV transmission line and substation assets from Jo-Carroll Energy, a member-owned cooperative in northwestern Illinois. Jo-Carroll Energy supports an area with tremendous economic development potential, with the transportation assets of the Mississippi River and excellent railroad service. However, new economic growth had been constrained by a transmission system that could not support additional industries.
Just as ITC Midwest has made investments in other parts of its system to improve reliability for customers, provide access to low-cost energy sources, connect new generating sources and increase system capacity, the company has made similar investments in this system to benefit Jo-Carroll members. To complement ITC Midwest’s efforts, the acquisition has allowed Jo-Carroll to focus on complementary electricity distribution upgrades and serving its members by expanding other services. ITC’s portion of the line, which is co-owned with Sunflower Electric Power Corporation, spans about 30 miles along the northern section of the project. It was completed in the fourth quarter of 2016.
Our vision is enhancing the quality of life for our members, and always looking for opportunities to do so. Partnering with ITC Midwest is helping us bring that vision to life.
– Mike Casper, President & CEO, Jo-Carroll Energy
ITC Midwest completed the rebuild of the 34.5 kV Savanna-Metform line in 2021, converting it to 69 kV operation. Most of this new 69 kV line is also double-circuited with a rebuilt 161 kV line. In addition, ITC Midwest expanded and upgraded transmission assets at the Savanna, Metform, York and Danisco substations.
All of these investments were made to enhance service and reliability for the cooperative’s members, add capacity to support the potential growth of current commercial and industrial businesses, and foster economic development in the area.
We recently had the opportunity to discuss Jo-Carroll Energy with President and CEO Mike Casper.
Mr. Casper: Jo-Carroll Energy provides a combination of electricity, natural gas and internet to over 26,500 members in Jo Daviess, Carroll, Whiteside and Henry counties. We have about 2,500 miles of electric distribution lines, from northwestern Illinois in the Tri-State area with Wisconsin and Iowa, all the way down to the Quad Cities, along the Mississippi River. About 60 percent of our load comes from large industrial and commercial members who expect reliable and high-quality power.
Mr. Casper: Through a strategic planning process with our board of directors, we identified three different strategic objectives: growth, enhance cooperative value, and operational excellence. Then we discussed who we may want to partner with, not only to grow load, but also to enhance the value that we bring to our members through improved reliability. By growing and improving our transmission capacity into the area, we would meet all three objectives.
The reliability and quality of service is so important to our large commercial and industrial members. That’s what ITC Midwest brings, not only from a growth perspective by bringing the additional capacity in for them to be able to grow, but also for additional members that we can potentially add. And that quality of service, especially from a reliability standpoint, is important.
Mr. Casper: We’ve talked about our three strategic objectives: growth, enhancing value and operational excellence. Especially from a capacity standpoint, we knew that we needed to make a large investment in this area to grow. We’re a smaller cooperative, and we don’t necessarily have the funds to be able to do this work as quickly as ITC Midwest. It was important to partner with a company that could bring additional capacity, and also enhance the reliability for our current members.
Another benefit was the reduction of operation and maintenance expenses. The capital expenditures that ITC Midwest has made allow us to invest additional capital to provide other value-added services, such as fiber.
Mr. Casper: Specifically, improved reliability—that’s what we have seen already with a couple of our larger industrial members. We’ve been able to do upgrades on our distribution system as a result of the investments ITC Midwest has made to improve the quality of service to those members.
Those upgrades are important to our industrial members—they have large machinery that requires a high quality of electric service. The ITC upgrades also have been beneficial for our other members across our entire system.
Mr. Casper: Yes, with the upgrades ITC Midwest made, we were then able to upgrade our substations for example, to bring additional reliability to our members. This was done at less cost for Jo-Carroll, because we were able to receive some cash value from the sale that we could then reinvest into our distribution system to help improve it, and provide the quality of service that our members expect.
Mr. Casper: We have an excellent line of communication with ITC Midwest—everything from the start of planning all of the way through to operations. It was a very smooth transition and we’re very grateful for the partnership. Everything worked out as smoothly as the ITC Midwest team said it would. We appreciate that.
Our vision is enhancing the quality of life for our members, and always looking for opportunities to do so. Partnering with ITC Midwest is helping us bring that vision to life.
About Jo-Carroll Energy
Jo-Carroll Energy is a cooperative, founded and built by the members it serves to deliver reliable energy and broadband internet services. The co-op was founded in 1939 by a group of farmers from Jo Daviess and Carroll counties who needed electricity brought to their farms. These founding members benefitted hundreds and now thousands and paved the way to expansion and progress in smaller towns and villages.
Today, Jo-Carroll Energy provides a combination of electricity, natural gas and internet to over 26,500 members in Jo Daviess, Carroll, Whiteside and Henry counties. As its membership grows, the cooperative strives to deliver safe and reliable electric, natural gas and internet to its members while exceeding member satisfaction and providing excellent member service.
Overview of substation work to benefit Jo-Carroll Energy members:
Savanna Substation: Substantially expanded, including a larger 161 kV section, a new 161 kV/69 kV transformer, new 69 kV bus and breakers, and a new control enclosure.
York Substation: Expanded with a larger 161 kV bus, a new 161 kV/69 kV transformer, a new 69 kV bus and breakers, and a new control enclosure.
Metform Substation: Busses converted to 69 kV, with a new control enclosure. Danisco Substation: A new 69 kV line tap was installed to replace the 34.5 kV line tap.
How can we help?
Continue exploring our projects or please feel free to reach out to ITC and begin a discussion on any of our projects, past, present, or future!