New electrical substation approved for Wauwatosa medical district

April 16, 2014

We Energies plans to install an additional electrical substation to accommodate future growth at the Milwaukee Regional Medical Complex.

The Common Council on Tuesday, April 15, approved granting a conditional-use request from We Energies to construct the substation at the site, 9250 W. Watertown Plank Road, at the recommendation of the Community Development Committee and Plan Commission.

The request is contingent upon We Energies providing neighbor UW-Milwaukee Real Estate Foundation with $28,000 to implement a landscaping plan to screen the substation, installing high-pressure sodium lighting at 30 feet above grade, installing barbed wire fencing around the substation and obtaining any additional licenses or permits as required.

Although the Plan Commission and Community Development Committee requested that We Energies consider installing LED lighting, instead of high-pressure sodium, experts indicated that LED fixtures do not have a proven track record at this time for providing lighting at the level of 400 watts, as We Energies is requesting to do.

However, the technology is advancing quickly and it may be possible for the company to install LED fixtures for similar projects in the future, We Energies representatives said.

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