Acquisition of 300 MW solar farm in the USA

Madison Gas and Electric (MGE) and We Energies have announced a new partnership to acquire the remaining 150 megawatts of the 300 MW Badger Hollow Solar Farm in Iowa County, Wisconsin, USA. The 300 MW project is being developed by Chicago-based Invenergy.

MGE and We Energies filed a joint application with the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin. MGE will own 50 MW and We Energies will own 100 MW. If regulators approve this acquisition, this phase of the Badger Hollow Solar Farm would begin generating electricity in 2021.

In May, MGE and Wisconsin Public Service (WPS), a subsidiary of WEC Energy Group, received regulatory approval to own a combined total of 150 MW at Badger Hollow. MGE will own 50 MW, and WPS will own 100 MW of this first phase of the project. Commercial operation of this phase is expected by the end of 2020.

Badger Hollow will be located in southwestern Wisconsin, in Iowa County, near the villages of Montfort and Cobb, about 12 miles west of Dodgeville. The project will be located on approximately 3,500 acres within Mifflin, Eden, and Linden townships, just south of Wisconsin State Highway 18.

It is estimated that the farm will provide enough electricity to power 77,100 homes annually and will remove 370,000 tons of carbon.

President and CEO of MGE Jeff Keebler 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.”

Kevin Fletcher, president and CEO – WEC Energy Group, the parent corporation of We Energies said - “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.”