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Residents across southern Wisconsin will soon have new ways to power their homes and businesses with electricity from the sun.

The Wisconsin Public Service Commission approved community solar programs Thursday for both Madison Gas & Electric and Alliant Energy while also expanding a controversial practice of utility-owned rooftop solar.

MGE will be allowed to expand its popular “Shared Solar” program, which allows customers to subscribe up to half their monthly electricity use for a rate that’s slightly higher than regular but guaranteed not to go up.

The utility also has plans to build a 5-megawatt solar garden at the Middleton airport that would be 10 times the size of its current community solar garden.

MGE president and CEO Jeff Keebler said the expansion is “another step toward meeting our goal of net-zero carbon electricity by the year 2050.”

Of the new project, expected to be online this fall, 70% will be available to residential and commercial customers, including nearly 350 already on a waiting list. The other 30% is already contracted to the Middleton-Cross Plains School District and the city of Middleton.