Wisconsin Expands Clean Energy with New Projects

By Blake Jackson

Wisconsin is preparing for a major expansion in clean energy as We Energies and two partner utilities announce the purchase of four new renewable energy projects. These projects include solar power, wind power and battery storage systems that will help deliver more reliable, cost-effective and sustainable energy to homes across the state.

The purchases were recently approved by the Public Service Commission. Together, the four projects represent 450 megawatts of new renewable capacity, which is enough to power more than 150,000 homes. This investment supports a long-term plan to retire older fossil fuel plants and replace them with cleaner and more efficient resources.

The renewable projects include the Saratoga Solar Energy Center in Wood County, the Ursa Solar Park in Columbia County, the Badger Hollow Wind Farm in Iowa and Grant counties and the Whitetail Wind Farm in Grant County. Each project previously received approval from state regulators.

Ownership of the projects is shared among the three utilities. We Energies will own 80 percent of each site, while Wisconsin Public Service and Madison Gas and Electric will each own 10 percent. This shared model supports wide access to renewable power for customers across multiple service regions.

We Energies president Mike Hooper says the approval marks an important step toward the company’s “all of the above” energy strategy, which combines renewable energy with natural gas plants to provide year-round service. He adds that the new projects are expected to save customers millions of dollars through reduced fuel costs and federal tax credits.

Costs vary across the projects. The Saratoga solar and battery project is expected to cost $451.5 million, and the Ursa solar project will cost about $450.5 million. The Badger Hollow wind project is estimated at $355.7 million, while the Whitetail wind project will cost $221.2 million once completed.

According to We Energies, all four projects are expected to begin operating in 2027 or 2028, helping expand clean energy options for Wisconsin communities.

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