Ongoing litigation and inflationary supply chain disruptions have increased the cost of building the controversial Cardinal-Hickory Creek power line by more than $49 million, according to an article in the Wisconsin State Journal. Last week, the power line’s three co-owners, whose permit does not require additional approval for price overruns, notified the Public Service Commission that the cost would exceed the authorized $492 million price tag by at least 10%.
Due to these ongoing price pressures, they also say the ultimate cost of building the power line is unknown. “Rising costs are presently a reality in all industries, and the Cardinal-Hickory Creek project is no exception,” says Alissa Braatz, a spokesperson for American Transmission Co., one of the co-owners.
