PSC REF#:150055 Wisconsin CPCN Appendix J Appendix J: Q1-Highway 35 Route Construction Plan Public Service Commission of Wisconsin RECEIVED: 06/29/11, 8:51:24 AM Hampton Rochester La Crosse 345 kv Transmission Project June 2011
Wisconsin CPCN Appendix J THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK. Hampton Rochester La Crosse 345 kv Transmission Project June 2011
Hampton Rochester La Crosse Project Q1-Highway 35 Route Black River Floodplain Proposed Construction Plan November 8, 2010 The proposed Q1-Highway 35 Route for the CapX2020 Hampton Rochester La Crosse Transmission Project would require approximately 14 structures in a two mile crossing of the Black River floodplain. The route lies approximately 400 feet north of Wisconsin Highway 35 (Great River Road). This route is one of several potential routes for a new transmission line. Xcel Energy, on behalf of the CapX2020 project partners, is leading the development and construction efforts for the CapX2020 La Crosse Project. Xcel Energy is the fourth largest transmission utility in the country in terms of line miles and has transmission operations in nine states. We have vast experience constructing transmission lines in environmentally sensitive areas using specialized methods that minimize environmental impacts. Should the Q1-Highway 35 Route be selected by the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (PSCW), we are confident that these methods can be utilized to minimize impacts to the Black River floodplain. Specific methods described in this document eliminate the need for concrete, avoid the need for dewatering, do not generate spoils and will not require excavation in wetlands or placing gravel or other fill in wetlands for construction access. Design Options to Reduce Construction Impacts Design choices can be made to minimize impacts. Foundation types such as vibratory caissons do not require concrete, do not require dewatering and do not generate spoils from the excavations. We propose to use vibratory caissons through the Black River floodplain if the Q1- Highway 35 Route is selected by the PSCW. The design of the line through the Black River floodplain utilizes shorter spans (maximum span between structures of approximately 700 ft. (with the exception of two spans of 1,200 ft and 970 ft) than the balance of the project. The shorter spans, in addition to reducing the structure height also reduce the loads to be supported by the structure resulting is structures that weigh less. Shorter and lighter structures reduce equipment (size and strength) requirements minimizing the size and load carrying requirements for the temporary access roads. Shorter and lighter structures also reduce the foundation strength requirements allowing for the use of smaller and lighter equipment for foundation installation. The use of helicopters to assist with the installation of foundations and erection of structures, if necessary, is made more feasible with shorter and lighter structures. Each of the proposed structures would be double circuit, single shaft tubular steel structures, approximately 75-115 feet tall and supported by steel vibratory caissons. The proposed structure is shown pictorially on the following page. It is anticipated that the vibratory caisson foundations will be 6-7 ft. in diameter and 40-60 ft. in length. The use of concrete foundations and the associated drilling and soil removal within the wetland is not anticipated. 1
Hampton Rochester La Crosse Project Q1-Highway 35 Route Black River Floodplain Structure Design Height and Width Horizontal Asymmetrical Height: 75 feet Average ROW Width: 150 feet Tree Clearing Required: 26.54 acres or 62% of easement area Total Easement Area: 42.72 acres November 8, 2010
Hampton Rochester La Crosse Project Q1-Highway 35 Route Structure Type Proposed in Black River Floodplain Structure Type Height ROW Width Tree Clearing Requirements Asymmetric Horizontal Total ROW Area Acres % ROW Acres 75 150 26.54 62% 42.72 Construction Considerations The major construction activities for this 2 mile section of the line would be similar to the balance of the project with the following considerations, accommodations and mitigations for constructing electrical transmission facilities in an extensive, floodplain wetland. Based on our review of the corridor, access to each structure location is possible via ground based equipment. However in the event that current conditions prove difficult for access the Construction Plan may be altered to consider helicopter access to some areas. Pre-Construction Field Activities Ground access to each of the structure locations is required prior to construction to conduct surveying and staking and a geotechnical investigation (soil borings). Surveying and staking is normally performed by a 2-man survey crew using pickup or 4-wheel all-terrain vehicles following existing roads and trails and causing little to no impact. In wetland areas and adjacent to waterways, various types of boats or rafts are often used, also causing no impact. Six to eight soil borings will be required within the wetland to determine the soil strength properties needed for foundation design. In all locations, soil borings will be conducted with a low impact, all-terrain, track-mounted drill rig causing minimal impact. These soil borings can also be scheduled to be performed during the winter to further minimize disturbances. For locations with restricted access, small, modular drilling equipment that can be disassembled transported by helicopter to the site and reassembled may be used. Construction Access Routes Existing access and proposed temporary access routes are shown on the attached mapping. Construction access methods through the Black River floodplain will be planned to minimize ground disturbance and may include, but are not limited to: construction mats, winter access which includes mowing and snow removal to facilitate soil freezing, low ground pressure equipment, and restricting the length and width of the access route. These techniques may also be combined (for example, low ground pressure equipment driving on construction mats place over frozen soil.) Our experience and that of other utilities demonstrates that winter access and matting techniques result in no rutting or damage to plants. Temporary fill, gravel or rock is not anticipated for access to any of the sites in the Black River floodplain. Upon completion of construction, all construction matting used for access routes and 2
Hampton Rochester La Crosse Project temporary work areas will be removed either by conventional equipment or helicopter. Estimated temporary access road and structure pad impacts have been calculated for the proposed structure and the table is presented at the end of the plan along with a typical structure pad layout. Ice and Frozen Ground Access with Matting Ground access is proposed either with the use of tracked or rubber tired equipment in areas of stable soils or with the use of construction mats and/or frozen soil conditions for areas of unstable soils. The use of temporary small construction bridges with construction mats are anticipated for crossing small channels. If the area of the wetland to be crossed has drier, stable, and cohesive soils or is frozen, construction will proceed in a manner similar to upland construction. If the wetland soils are not saturated at the time of construction and can support both tracked and/or rubber-tired equipment, construction will be performed in these areas using construction mats only when needed to minimize impacts and stabilize the area to support construction equipment If saturated or unstable soil conditions exist at a construction location, several construction techniques may be implemented to reduce the effects on wetland soil structure and dependent functions, including hydrology and the wetland s capacity for re-vegetation of native species. These techniques include the use of the following: construction during frozen conditions, construction mats, low ground pressure or tracked vehicles in areas where the soils are saturated or not frozen. 3
Hampton Rochester La Crosse Project Clear Span Bridge and Matting Tree Clearing and Right-of-Way Requirements Because of the shorter spans, the proposed transmission line can be constructed on approximately 150 foot wide cleared width. An aerial photo is included showing proposed right-of-way and areas requiring clearing for the option presented in this plan. Tree removal would occur using low ground pressure equipment and in coordination with access for line construction and removal. Foundation Construction Tubular steel vibratory caissons are the proposed foundation type for all structures within the Black River floodplain. At each structure location a temporary work surface will be constructed with construction matting. The steel caisson, crane, vibratory hammer and associated equipment are transported to the site. The steel caisson is stood up at the staked location and the vibratory hammer is placed on top of the steel caisson. The high frequency vibration and weight of the vibratory hammer vibrate the hollow steel caisson into the earth to a pre-determined elevation, normally two - three feet above ground level. The vibratory caisson foundation is complete and ready for erection of the tubular steel pole. Vibratory caisson foundation installations do not require concrete, do not require dewatering and do not generate spoils from the excavations. It is anticipated that all material (steel caisson), equipment (trucks, crane, vibratory hammer, etc.) and labor will access the site via the temporary access routes. For locations with restricted construction equipment, the steel caisson, alignment jig, vibratory hammer and associated equipment are transported to the site with a heavy lift helicopter. The same helicopter is then used to stand up the steel caisson and place it in the staked location inside the alignment jig. The helicopter then lifts the vibratory hammer and places it on top of the caisson. The heavy lift helicopter then removes all equipment when installation is complete. 4
Horizontal Asymetrical Average Height: 90 feet Average ROW Width: 150 feet Legend No Tree Clearing Required Tree Clearing Required: 26.54 acres or 62% of easement area Tree Clearing Required Interstate Highway Total Easement Area: 42.72 acres US Highway State Highway 0 400 [ 800 Feet DATA SOURCES: ETG FILENAME: ETG_Trees_24x36_150FT_HWY35 MXD LOCATION: P:\2007\07180025.00_CAPX\GIS\Layouts\ETG_Trees PDF LOCATION: P:\2007\07180025.00_CAPX\GIS\Maps\ETG_Trees 35 Hampton Xcel Energy Rochester Dairyland Power Cooperative La Crosse 345kV Transmission Project Rochester Public Utilities W is c onsin Public Power, Inc orporated Southern Minnesota Municipal Power Agency Q1-Highway 35 Route Black River Floodplain November 2010
Hampton Rochester La Crosse Project 5 Ground Based Vibratory Caisson and Hammer Unit
Hampton Rochester La Crosse Project Helicopter Based Vibratory Caisson and Hammer Unit 6
Hampton Rochester La Crosse Project Structure Erection Tubular steel structures will be hauled to the site utilizing the temporary access routes previously established. The steel structures will be erected on the vibratory caissons using a crane sitting on the work platform. For locations with restricted construction equipment access, a heavy lift helicopter will transport the tubular steel pole in sections (based upon the lift capacity of the helicopter) and attach to the vibratory caisson foundation or previously set lower section. Prior to erection, these poles will be stored in a nearby marshalling yard and then flown to the site in multiple picks. Each structure will likely require 2-4 picks to complete installation. Wire Stringing Wire stringing in the wetland areas will use similar techniques to those on the remainder of the project in including using a helicopter to string the lead line prior to pulling conductor. Linemen will work from truck mounted portable work platforms to attach the conductors to the insulators. The truck mounted portable work platforms will utilize the temporary access routes and work areas previously established. For locations with restricted construction equipment access, linemen climb the structures and erect temporary work platforms supported off of the structure to attach the conductors to the insulators. Linemen, tools, temporary work platforms and small material will be transported to the restricted access structures by helicopter. 7
Hampton Rochester La Crosse Project Before and After Photos of Work in Wetlands ATC and NRC have provided good photographic documentation of ATC s Elvoy Bog wetland construction. Xcel Energy has conducted similar successful projects. The complete set of slides is provided and a few key photographs are inserted below. Before After -- Spring After Early Summer After Fall 8
Hampton Rochester La Crosse Project Examples of Xcel Energy s Work in Sensitive Areas Vibratory Caisson Installations Bibon Swamp, near Grandview in Northern Wisconsin Developed frozen access by removing snow and mowing vegetation. No mats were necessary in this installation. Mississippi River Crossing at Hastings, MN Mississippi River Crossing at Red Wing, MN Chisago County, MN Sunrise River wetland complex New Ulm, MN Minnesota River wetlands Ice, frozen ground and matting used for pole replacement in wetland 345 kv Structure Replacement Central Wisconsin Summer construction using matting over wetlands 500 kv Line in Northern Minnesota Much of the 500 kv line in is constructed in peat bogs and wetlands in Northern Minnesota. Composite Construction Mats Xcel Energy owns 2,500 composite construction mats for use in sensitive areas enough to construct a 3 mile long, 14 foot wide mat road. 9
Hampton Rochester La Crosse Project Temporary Access Road and Structure Pad Impact Calculations
HWY35ROUTE ESTIMATEDTEMPORARYACCESSROADIMPACTS USEOFTYPICAL8'x14'MATS THREEPOLECOMPACTHORIZONTALOPTION StrPad AccessRoad Removalofduplicate overlapofstr.pads TotalImpact Str# Length Width SqFt Length Width SqFt Length Width SqFt SqFt Acres Notes 201 0 0 0 0 0 0 NoImpact,Strlocatedoutsideofwetland 202 98 120 11,760 16 98 1,568 203 98 120 11,760 16 98 1,568 2,933 16 46,928 204 98 120 11,760 16 98 1,568 87,696 2.01 205 98 120 11,760 16 98 1,568 206 98 120 11,760 401 16 6,416 16 98 1,568 16,608 0.38 207 98 120 11,760 16 98 1,568 208 98 120 11,760 1,704 16 27,264 16 98 1,568 57,840 1.33 209 98 120 11,760 16 98 1,568 210 98 120 11,760 16 98 1,568 973 16 15,562 211 98 120 11,760 16 98 1,568 212 98 120 11,760 16 98 1,568 983 16 15,730 213 98 120 11,760 16 98 1,568 35,946 36,114 0.83 0.83 214 98 120 11,760 351 16 5,616 16 98 1,568 15,808 0.36 215 NoImpact,Strlocatedoutsideofwetland TotalImpact 250,012 5.74 Sht1of1
Hampton Rochester La Crosse Project Typical Structure Pad Layout