We Energies, MGE announce plan for expanded solar partnership

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Aug 01, 2019, 17:03 ET

MILWAUKEE and MADISON, Wis., Aug. 1, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- We Energies and Madison Gas and Electric (MGE), have announced a new partnership to acquire the remaining 150 megawatts (MW) of the Badger Hollow Solar Farm. We Energies and MGE filed a joint application today with the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin. We Energies will own 100 MW, and MGE will own 50 MW.

"This is another significant step in our transition to a clean energy future," said Kevin Fletcher, president and CEO – WEC Energy Group, the parent corporation of We Energies. "Along with the environmental benefits of solar energy, this purchase will lower costs to customers over the life of the project."

"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," said Jeff Keebler, MGE chairman, president and CEO. "This is yet another step in our active transition toward greater use of cleaner energy sources to serve our community."

If regulators approve this acquisition, this phase of the Badger Hollow Solar Farm would begin generating electricity in 2021.

Badger Hollow Solar Farm
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 300-MW project is being developed by Chicago-based Invenergy, North America's largest privately held renewable energy company.

About We Energies
We Energies serves more than 1.1 million electric customers and 1.1 million natural gas customers in Wisconsin. We Energies is the trade name of Wisconsin Electric Power Co. and Wisconsin Gas LLC, utility subsidiaries of WEC Energy Group Inc. (NYSE: WEC). Visit We Energies at we-energies.com and WEC Energy Group at wecenergygroup.com.

About MGE
MGE generates and distributes electricity to 153,000 customers in Dane County, Wisconsin, and purchases and distributes natural gas to 161,000 customers in seven south-central and western Wisconsin counties. MGE's parent company is MGE Energy Inc. (NASDAQ: MGEE). The company's roots in the Madison area date back more than 150 years. Visit the MGE website at mge.com.

SOURCE WEC Energy Group