Madison Gas and Electric (MGE) and We Energies have signed off on a new partnership to acquire the remaining 150MW of the Badger Hollow Solar Farm.
MGE and We Energies filed a joint application with the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin, with We Energies set to own 100MW of the project and MGE with the remaining 50MW.
Jeff Keebler, MGE chairman, president and CEO, said: “This addition of cost-effective solar energy will help MGE reach our goal of net-zero carbon electricity by the year 2050 while also helping us to manage long-term costs to our customers. This is yet another step in our active transition toward greater use of cleaner energy sources to serve our community.”
Kevin Fletcher, president and CEO – WEC Energy Group, the parent corporation of We Energies, added: “This is another significant step in our transition to a clean energy future. Along with the environmental benefits of solar energy, this purchase will lower costs to customers over the life of the project.”
Once this acquisition is approved by regulators, this phase of the Badger Hollow Solar Farm would begin generating electricity in 2021.
Back in May, MGE and Wisconsin Public Service (WPS), a subsidiary of WEC Energy Group, received regulatory approval to own a combined 150MW at Badger Hollow. MGE will own 50MW, while WPS will own 100MW of this first phase of the project. Commercial operation of this phase is expected by the end of 2020.
Badger Hollow will be developed in southwestern Wisconsin, in Iowa County, near the villages of Montfort and Cobb, about 12 miles west of Dodgeville. The 300MW project is being developed by Chicago-based Invenergy.