ITC Great Plains prepares to enhance reliability for customers
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You might not picture me as your typical cowboy at first glance. In fact, I might remind you more of Billy Crystal in City Slickers. And trust me, I get it. But let me assure you, my boots have clocked countless hours in the red Oklahoma soil.
My name is Patrick Woods, born and raised in the heart of Oklahoma. After spending the first 18 years of my life in the Sooner State, I moved north and have spent the past 27 years in Kansas. I now serve as the Director of Business Affairs for ITC Great Plains, a transmission-only utility company operating in both Oklahoma and Kansas. Today, I want to take a moment to share how the world of energy is evolving with each passing day.
In our technology-driven society, upgrading is second nature. We routinely update our phones, TVs, farm machinery and vehicles as they age or become outdated. This principle extends to our broader communities, where water pipes, fiber optic networks and power lines are continually enhanced to provide improved services to residents and businesses.
ITC Great Plains, with offices in Topeka, Wichita, Dodge City, Kansas, as well as Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, has a long history of success with its transmission lines in Kansas and Oklahoma. As a transmission-only utility, ITC Great Plains constructs, owns, operates and maintains a regulated, high-voltage transmission system, operating approximately 480 circuit miles of transmission lines in these states.
Communities served by ITC Great Plains also benefit from additional property tax revenue, economic development growth and access to ITC’s Corporate Giving program. Over the past 14 years, ITC Great Plains has provided millions of dollars to nonprofit organizations offering essential services. Contributions range from a few hundred dollars, which significantly benefit small communities, to substantial grants in Kansas and Oklahoma. The infrastructure and transmission lines provided by ITC Great Plains and our local business partners positively impact the communities we serve by contributing to economic growth and creating future employment opportunities for area residents.
ITC Great Plains is a subsidiary of ITC Holdings Corp., the largest independent electricity transmission company in the U.S., with operations in eight states. ITC connects a variety of customers at transmission-level voltages, including large generation and distribution utilities, municipal utility systems, rural electric cooperatives and commercial and industrial customers that require high-voltage electricity. At ITC, we focus solely on maintaining and updating our region’s transmission system.
Our network of transmission lines needs to be upgraded to keep up with the changes happening all around us. The energy landscape is evolving, with society trending toward the electrification of everything. Our infrastructure must keep pace to ensure reliability for utility customers. Reliability is something ITC has taken great pride in over our 20-year history. Likewise, resilience is crucial in ensuring electricity is available when needed. Whether it’s weathering a major winter storm, providing access to new energy resources or practicing environmental stewardship, ITC is on the job 24/7, 365 days a year. Transmission moves electricity from where it’s made to where it’s used, regardless of the power generation source or location.
Our energy future depends on a complete and up-to-date system. Transmission lines are essential to our country’s economy, security and way of life. We must support new and improved electric infrastructure to meet our energy goals and keep the lights on for future generations.
