Madison Gas and Electric approved to buy solar capacity, battery storage from new energy center

Published on April 16, 2025 by Kim Riley

© Shutterstock

Wisconsin regulators recently approved Madison Gas and Electric (MGE), partnering with two subsidiaries of WEC Energy Group, to purchase solar capacity and battery storage from the High Noon Solar Energy Center in Columbia County, Wis.

“The High Noon Solar Energy Center builds on the progress we’ve already made reducing carbon emissions, increasing our use of cost-effective renewable energy, and advancing new technologies to benefit all our customers,” said MGE Chairman, President and CEO Jeff Keebler on April 10. “By growing our use of cost-effective carbon-free generation to decarbonize our grid and by working with customers to advance energy efficiency and electrification, we can achieve our sustainable energy goals.”

MGE, along with partners We Energies and Wisconsin Public Service (WPS), will own 30 megawatts (MW) of solar and 16.5 MW of battery storage from the facility. We Energies and WPS will own the remaining 270 MW of solar and 148.5 MW of battery storage.

The project will include a 300-MW solar array and 165-MW battery energy storage system that’s expected to generate enough carbon-free energy to power a total of roughly 90,000 households, according to MGE, adding that its 10-percent share of the output will power about 9,000 households.

The High Noon Solar Energy Center is expected to start serving customers in 2027.

By 2030, MGE expects to deliver electricity with 80 percent fewer carbon emissions, and by 2050, expects to deliver net-zero carbon electricity. MGE said it’s already halfway to its 2030 goal to reduce carbon emissions by 80 percent compared to 2005 levels.

MGE, which is part of MGE Energy Inc., currently generates and distributes electricity to 167,000 customers in Dane County, Wis., and purchases and distributes natural gas to 178,000 customers in seven Wisconsin counties.