2 Wisconsin utilities plan to partner on $390 million large-scale solar projects

Two of the state’s largest utilities plan to invest a total of $390 million in two solar power projects that would be the first of their size in the state.

Wisconsin Public Service, a subsidiary of Milwaukee-based WEC Energy Group, and Madison Gas and Electric, as well as the developers of the projects, filed applications for approval with state regulators Thursday.

The two solar projects would generate a total of 300 megawatts — enough electricity for more than 70,000 residential customers — and indicate the changing economics of large-scale solar projects.

As recently as the end of 2015, the state generated a total of 25 megawatts from solar power.

“Alternative energy is not really alternative anymore,” said Dan Litchfield, a director of project development for Invenergy, the developer of one of the two projects.

The projects would be built in Iowa County, near the villages of Montfort and Cobb, about 12 miles west of Dodgeville, in southwestern Wisconsin, and in the Town of Two Creeks and the city of Two Rivers, near the Point Beach nuclear power plant in northeastern Wisconsin, WPS and MGE said in a news release.

The project in Iowa County is being developed by Invenergy, a Chicago firm that develops wind and solar projects.

The project in Manitowoc and Kewaunee counties would be developed by NextEra Energy, based in Juno Beach, Fla., the parent company of Florida Power & Light Co. and a company that bills itself as the world's largest generator of energy from the wind and sun.

NextEra operates the Point Beach power plant.

WPS and MG&E would buy 300 megawatts of generating capacity once the projects are completed. WPS would own 200 megawatts and MG&E would own 100 megawatts.

"This is another step forward as we move toward a more sustainable energy future and deep decarbonization," Jeff Keebler, MG&E president and chief executive officer, said in a statement.

"Investing in these solar projects is the first step in our overall plan to add solar capacity to our generation portfolio,” Gale Klappa, chief executive officer of WPS and WEC Energy, said in a statement.

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If approved by the Public Service Commission this year, construction on both projects is expected to begin next spring and be completed by the end of 2020.

Beyond the WPS and MG&E partnership, Invenergy is seeking approval to build an additional 150 megawatts, for a total of 300 megawatts, in Iowa County.

Solar power has the advantage of producing electricity during time of peak demand, such as a hot summer afternoon, when the air-conditioning load is the highest.

The projects also don’t have fuel costs or emissions and have lower operating and maintenance costs than power plants.

The two projects will more than triple the solar power capacity in the state, said Renew Wisconsin.

“This is a landmark day for solar power and renewable energy in Wisconsin,” Tyler Huebner, executive director of Renew Wisconsin, said in a statement.