ITC Transmission

ITC Transmission is the operating name associated with ITC Holdings Corporation, an American electricity-transmission company headquartered in Novi, Michigan. Unlike a conventional vertically integrated electric utility, ITC was established around ownership and operation of transmission assets as an independent business. Its role is to move bulk electricity over high-voltage networks, maintain transmission facilities, connect generators and neighboring systems, and invest in grid reliability and capacity. It generally does not serve end-use customers directly as a retail electricity provider. The business originated in 1999 when Detroit Edison, now operating within DTE Energy, created International Transmission Co. to own, operate, and maintain its transmission system. In 2003, DTE sold the subsidiary to ITC Holdings Corp. The transaction made ITC the first fully independent electricity-transmission company in the United States, separating transmission ownership from the traditional utility structure. The original ITC Transmission system serves southeastern Michigan and the state's Thumb region, with high-voltage facilities operating at 345, 230, 138, and 120 kilovolts. ITC expanded beyond its original Michigan footprint through acquisitions and greenfield development. In 2006, ITC Holdings completed the acquisition of Michigan Electric Transmission Company, or METC, whose network covers much of Michigan's Lower Peninsula and largely overlaps the area historically associated with Consumers Energy. In 2007, ITC created ITC Midwest after acquiring the transmission system of Interstate Power and Light Company. ITC Midwest operates in Iowa, Minnesota, Illinois, and Missouri. ITC Great Plains was developed as a transmission-only operation in Kansas and Oklahoma and represents ITC's principal greenfield model rather than an acquisition-based expansion. The company's assets include high-voltage lines, towers, substations, and interconnections with neighboring utilities and regional transmission systems. Its Michigan operations connect with systems including FirstEnergy, Hydro One, American Electric Power, Northern Indiana Public Service Company, Alpena Power, Cloverland Electric Cooperative, and the Lansing Board of Water & Light. The Michigan Thumb Loop, completed in 2015, was designed to reinforce the Thumb-area network and support the connection of new generation, including wind projects. ITC Midwest has also added numerous generator interconnections, helping accommodate substantial wind-generation capacity in the Upper Midwest. ITC became publicly traded in 2005 through ITC Holdings Corp. In 2016, Canadian utility Fortis Inc. agreed to acquire ITC Holdings in a transaction valued at approximately $6.9 billion, with Fortis also assuming approximately $4.4 billion in debt. Following the transaction, ITC continued as a stand-alone operation under Fortis ownership, retaining its Novi headquarters and workforce. ITC's business remains focused on regulated transmission infrastructure, long-term capital investment, reliability, regional interconnection, and development of additional grid capacity. The company has also pursued technology and communications infrastructure, including plans announced in 2019 for a private fiber network installed along electricity-transmission corridors.

ITC's history began in 1999, when Detroit Edison established International Transmission Co. as a subsidiary responsible for owning, operating, and maintaining the company's transmission assets. The creation reflected an emerging interest in separating high-voltage transmission from vertically integrated utility businesses and treating transmission as a distinct infrastructure activity. In 2003, Detroit Edison sold the subsidiary to ITC Holdings Corp. The change in ownership created what the reference material describes as the first fully independent electricity-transmission company in the United States. The original ITC Transmission network served southeastern Michigan and the Thumb region, overlapping much of the area supplied by DTE Electric. Its facilities included lines at 345, 230, 138, and 120 kilovolts, together with substations and interconnections to utilities in Ohio and Ontario. ITC Holdings became publicly traded in 2005. The company began construction of its Novi headquarters in 2006 and also established ITC Grid Development that year to investigate opportunities for new transmission investment and partnerships with utilities and local entities. ITC Great Plains joined the Southwest Power Pool as an independent transmission company in September 2006. It was developed as a greenfield transmission business, distinguishing it from ITC's acquisition-led expansion elsewhere. A major expansion came in October 2006, when ITC Holdings acquired Michigan Electric Transmission Company. METC operated a large transmission system across much of Michigan's Lower Peninsula, historically associated with Consumers Energy. The METC network added thousands of circuit miles, towers and poles, stations, substations, and interconnections with neighboring utilities. ITC later created ITC Midwest on December 20, 2007, after acquiring the transmission system of Interstate Power and Light Company. ITC Midwest's territory covers parts of Iowa, Minnesota, Illinois, and Missouri. During the late 2000s and 2010s, the company concentrated on rebuilding aging infrastructure, improving reliability, and enabling new generation. ITC reported extensive capital investment in the Detroit metropolitan area after 2003. In Michigan's Thumb region, the company developed a new 345-kilovolt loop that was completed in 2015. The project was designed to reinforce the grid and facilitate connections for new generation, including wind facilities. ITC Midwest also completed numerous generator interconnections, adding significant wind-production capacity to the regional system. In February 2016, Fortis Inc. announced an agreement to purchase ITC Holdings for approximately $6.9 billion and assume roughly $4.4 billion in debt. Fortis stated that it intended to retain ITC employees and maintain the company as a stand-alone operation at its Novi headquarters. ITC subsequently became a wholly owned Fortis subsidiary rather than an independently listed company. By the late 2010s, ITC continued to emphasize large-scale grid investment. In 2019, the company planned a private fiber network to be strung along its electricity-transmission lines and described a multiyear capital program focused on reliability improvements. In November 2025, ITC announced that CEO Linda Apsey would retire and that Krista Tanner would succeed her on March 23, 2026. The company therefore entered a new leadership phase while retaining its core identity as a regulated, independent-style transmission operator within the Fortis group.

• 2025

  CEO succession announced

  [1]ITC Transmissionen.wikipedia.org

  ITC announced Linda Apsey's retirement and the appointment of Krista Tanner as successor effective March 23, 2026.

• 2019

  Private fiber-network plan announced

  [1]ITC Transmissionen.wikipedia.org

  ITC planned a private fiber network installed along its transmission lines as part of broader infrastructure and reliability investment.

• 2016

  Fortis agrees to acquire ITC Holdings

  [1]ITC Transmissionen.wikipedia.org

  Fortis Inc. announced an approximately $6.9 billion acquisition of ITC Holdings and assumed approximately $4.4 billion in debt.

• 2015

  Michigan Thumb Loop is completed

  [1]ITC Transmissionen.wikipedia.org

  The 345-kilovolt Michigan Thumb Loop was completed to reinforce the Thumb-area grid and support new generation interconnections.

• 2007

  ITC Midwest is created

  [1]ITC Transmissionen.wikipedia.org

  ITC created ITC Midwest after acquiring Interstate Power and Light Company's transmission system.

• 2006

  METC acquisition and grid-development expansion

  [1]ITC Transmissionen.wikipedia.org

  ITC acquired Michigan Electric Transmission Company and established ITC Grid Development to explore further transmission opportunities.

• 2005

  ITC Holdings becomes publicly traded

  [1]ITC Transmissionen.wikipedia.org

  ITC Holdings Corp. began trading as a public company.

• 2003

  ITC becomes an independent transmission company

  [1]ITC Transmissionen.wikipedia.org

  DTE sold the transmission subsidiary to ITC Holdings Corp., creating an independent transmission business.

• 1999

  International Transmission Co. is established

  [1]ITC Transmissionen.wikipedia.org

  Detroit Edison created International Transmission Co. to own, operate, and maintain its electricity-transmission system.

Independent, transmission-only grid owner and operator focused on reliability, regional interconnection, and long-term infrastructure investment.

• High-voltage transmission network · 2003

  ITC Michigan

  ITC Michigan comprises the original ITC Transmission system in southeastern Michigan and the Thumb region, together with the broader Michigan transmission operations associated with ITC. Its infrastructure includes 345-kilovolt, 230-kilovolt, 138-kilovolt, and 120-kilovolt lines, substations, and interconnections with neighboring systems in Ohio and Ontario. The network supports bulk-power movement and regional reliability rather than retail electricity sales.

• High-voltage transmission network · 2006

  Michigan Electric Transmission Company (METC)

  METC is the transmission system acquired by ITC Holdings in 2006. It covers much of Michigan's Lower Peninsula and operates lines at 345, 230, and 138 kilovolts, supported by stations, substations, and multiple interconnections with neighboring utilities. The system includes infrastructure serving areas historically associated with Consumers Energy, while some radial facilities remained outside the acquisition.

• Regional transmission network · 2007

  ITC Midwest

  ITC Midwest operates transmission facilities in portions of Iowa, Minnesota, Illinois, and Missouri. It was established through the 2007 acquisition of Interstate Power and Light Company's transmission system. The business owns and operates thousands of circuit miles and numerous stations and substations, and has supported many generator interconnections, including connections for wind-generation projects.

• Transmission-only utility · 2006

  ITC Great Plains

  ITC Great Plains is ITC's greenfield transmission-development business in Kansas and Oklahoma. It operates as an independent transmission company within the Southwest Power Pool and was designed around developing new transmission assets rather than acquiring an existing utility system. Its infrastructure includes transmission lines, towers and poles, and substations serving regional grid needs.

• 345-kilovolt transmission project · 2015

  Michigan Thumb Loop

  The Michigan Thumb Loop is a 345-kilovolt transmission project completed in 2015. Built with tubular steel pylons in a double-circuit configuration, it was intended to strengthen the transmission backbone in Michigan's Thumb region and provide capacity for interconnecting new generation, including wind farms.

• 2016

  Fortis acquisition of ITC HoldingsM&A

  Background

  ITC had become a major independent transmission owner, while Fortis sought to expand its regulated utility infrastructure portfolio.

  Action taken

  Fortis agreed to buy ITC Holdings for approximately $6.9 billion and assume approximately $4.4 billion in debt.

  Aftermath

  ITC became a wholly owned Fortis subsidiary and continued operating as a stand-alone business from Novi.

  Transaction value and assumed debt. Approximately $6.9 billion transaction value; approximately $4.4 billion of debt assumed (2016 announcement)

  Source

• 2015

  Complete the Michigan Thumb LoopProduct launch

  Background

  The Thumb region required stronger transmission capacity to support reliability and potential new generation.

  Action taken

  ITC completed a new 345-kilovolt loop transmission project in 2015.

  Aftermath

  The project reinforced the regional grid and supported generator interconnections, including wind projects.

  Source

• 2007

  Create ITC Midwest through transmission-system acquisitionM&A

  Background

  ITC pursued regional expansion through ownership of transmission assets separated from traditional utility operations.

  Action taken

  ITC created ITC Midwest on December 20, 2007, following its acquisition of Interstate Power and Light Company's transmission system.

  Aftermath

  ITC gained operations in Iowa, Minnesota, Illinois, and Missouri and expanded its regional generator-interconnection role.

  Source

• 2006

  Acquire Michigan Electric Transmission CompanyM&A

  Background

  ITC sought to expand its independent transmission platform beyond the original Detroit-area system.

  Action taken

  ITC Holdings completed the acquisition of Michigan Electric Transmission Company in October 2006.

  Aftermath

  The transaction added a large transmission network covering much of Michigan's Lower Peninsula.

  Source

1. 1ITC Transmissionen.wikipedia.org