Electrical transmission carrier ITC Midwest cut the ribbon Wednesday on its field operations center in Albert Lea.

The 25,000-square-foot office and warehouse is the regional base of operations for the Michigan-based company. About 25 ITC Midwest staff. Field operations contractor Utility Lines Construction and materials contractor Power Lines Supply also will work out of the warehouse.

“We are very pleased to be part of the Albert Lea community,” said ITC Midwest Executive Director Doug Collins at the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Collins said employees working at the Albert Lea facility are responsible for building and maintaining the high-voltage electric power lines in more than 20 counties in the company’s southern Minnesota and northern Iowa service territory. That includes work to connect regional wind farms, such as the planned Bent Tree Wind Farm for Freeborn County.

The field operations center for ITC Midwest is on 10 acres on Freeborn County Road 38, south of Freeborn County Road 46. It is near Trail’s Travel Center, Erdlandson’s Implement and Pro Manufacturing. ITC Midwest announced its plans to set up in Albert Lea in March. ITC Midwest purchased high-power transmission lines from Alliant Energy subsidiary Interstate Power & Light Co. on Dec. 20, 2007. It included about 6,800 miles of 34,500-volt lines and 170 substations in Iowa, Minnesota, Illinois and Missouri.

Also at the ribbon cutting were Albert Lea Mayor Randy Erdman, Albert Lea Economic Development Agency Executive Director Dan Dorman and Albert Lea-Freeborn County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Randy Kehr.