We Energies will add a second transformer substation on land owned by the University of Wisconsin-Parkside on Berryville Road (Highway A) just west of 22nd Avenue. Built in 2000, the original substation has experienced 4% annual load growth. Adding the second substation within the current easement area is a proactive move that will serve as a backup to restore power in the event of an outage, and it will double future service capacity needs as Somers experiences future development.
At a public hearing at the April 9, 2018 Plan Commission meeting, residents living in the area requested WE Energies provide additional berms and plantings to improve the aesthetic views of neighbors. WE Energies responded with a landscape plan that was presented to the Village Board at a work session meeting on April 17. The request for a Conditional Use Permit for the expansion of an existing electric utility substation was approved by the Village Board on April 24, 2018.
