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When Beau Stafford started Wiscovery Farm in 2019, he never thought that five years later he’d become the first to graze sheep at a Dane County solar site. The Fitchburg farm started small with garden compost and small hay bales, and eventually got to the point where Stafford wanted to expand into livestock.

“Originally, I figured, ‘Maybe we’ll get some beef cattle, and they’d graze about in our pasture land,’” Stafford recalled. “Then, all of a sudden, we get a flier in the mail.”

The flier was about a public engagement meeting for a solar site planned near his farm Stafford went to an open house to talk with developers about concerns related to what they’d plant at the facility and how it might impact his farm. The conversation eventually turned to the idea of grazing sheep at the solar site. Stafford said that conversation got the wheels turning in his mind.

“As a kid, I helped raise lambs for the fair with my neighbor and I thought, ‘Well, I have experience raising sheep, not running a flock, but at least individual sheep,’” he said. “We have young kids, and we thought, ‘Maybe that would be a better route to go for livestock rather than doing cows or beef, because they’re pretty big and for little kids it’s not great.’"

Xcel Energy has named Todd Wehner as the company’s Treasurer and Vice President. Paul Johnson will continue to serve the company as Vice President, Treasury and Investor Relations.

"Todd is a proven financial leader who has demonstrated an ability to identify opportunities, develop strategies and deliver results," according to Bob Frenzel, Xcel Energy’s Chairman, President and CEO. "His extensive treasury and utility experience, as well as previous experience in strategic management and capital markets, will serve Xcel Energy’s customers well."

In his role, Wehner will ensure Xcel Energy’s financial stability and success by managing the funding of the company’s capital investment, as well as managing the cash function, insurance process, investment activities, capital structure and providing support in regulatory proceedings. The company’s ability to cost-effectively raise capital for its grid and energy investments will benefit its customers with long-term, lower cost energy. 

"Xcel Energy is at the forefront of leading a clean energy transition, and I see an  exciting opportunity to work within the complexity of its multiple operating  companies across diverse states," Wehner said. "My father was a career lineworker who strove to deliver electricity to customers despite inclement weather and adverse operating conditions. I have always seen a career in the  utility sector as a noble undertaking that serves our communities with the energy they depend on."

Wehner served as assistant treasurer at Michigan-based CMS Energy where he optimized the company’s capital structure and relationship with equity and debt providers and credit rating agencies. Prior, he held investment banking roles at Morgan Stanley and Barclays focused on the global utilities and chemicals  industries. Wehner began his career serving as a U.S. Air Force officer both  domestically and in Iraq. Wehner earned master’s degrees from the University of Michigan in sustainable systems and business administration, as well as bachelor of science degrees from Michigan Technological University in electrical and mechanical engineering. 

Alliant Energy Announces Second Quarter 2024 Results

Alliant Energy has announced U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) and non-GAAP consolidated unaudited earnings per share (EPS) for the three months ended June 30.

“We are pleased with the outcome of the settlement in our Iowa rate review and confident about the positive impact it will have promoting load growth while delivering consistent earnings and ensuring base rate stability for our customers,” said Lisa Barton, Alliant Energy President and CEO. “Excluding

timing of income taxes, which will reverse by year-end, and temperature impacts, our ongoing results for the first half of 2024 were in line with our expectations.

Through regulatory progress and strong economic growth with data centers, we believe we are positioned to achieve our long-term growth objectives.”

MGE Energy Increases Dividend for the 49th Consecutive Year

The Board of Directors of MGE Energy has increased the regular quarterly dividend rate by 5.3 percent to $0.45 per share on the outstanding shares of the company’s common stock.

The dividend was payable September 15, 2024, to shareholders of record September 1, 2024. This raises the annualized dividend rate by 9 cents from $1.71 per share to $1.80 per share.

“MGE Energy continues to focus on its mission to provide safe, reliable, affordable and sustainable energy and to provide value to our customers and shareholders,” according to Chairman, President and CEO Jeff Keebler. “This action by our board reinforces our commitment to regular, predictable and sustainable dividend growth, and it signals the continued strength and resilience of MGE Energy’s long-term business strategy for building your community energy company for the future.”

MGE Energy has increased its dividend annually for the past 49 years and has paid cash dividends for more than 110 years.

The Wisconsin Public Service Foundation is putting important new tools in the hands of the men and women who keep communities across Wisconsin safe. WPS Foundation is awarding $75,000 to help more than 40 area public safety agencies purchase lifesaving equipment.

The funding is part of the WPS Foundation’s Rewarding Responders Grant program, which supports first responders across northeast and north central Wisconsin.

“We are honored to support the brave individuals who work tirelessly to keep our neighborhoods safe, secure and welcoming,” said Beth Straka, president — WPS Foundation. “From helping children safely get to school to providing critical  medical care, these grants give first responders the invaluable tools they need to serve our communities.”

Site Selection Magazine announced for the sixth consecutive year that Alliant Energy has earned their Top Utility in Economic Development honor. The annual list recognizes the company for its contributions to local community development and job creation.

In its September issue, Site Selection credits Alliant Energy’s economic development team, in collaboration with local, regional and state economic development partners in Iowa and Wisconsin for delivering nearly $3.5 billion in new capital investment and creating more than 4,101 new jobs in 2023.

Alliant Energy is one of 21 companies nationally named to the list and the only one in Iowa and Wisconsin. In all, there are 3,300 utility companies, including 900 electric cooperatives, in the United States. “Alliant Energy is proud to be honored as a top utility in economic development for the sixth consecutive year,” said Lisa Barton, President and CEO of Alliant Energy. “Economic development work is a team effort and vital to grow the communities we serve.

As the energy grid evolves in the coming years, Xcel Energy and other regional utilities are preparing to meet the changing energy needs of customers, with the goal of increasing the amount of carbon-free and renewable energy while ensuring continued electric reliability for their customers.

To deliver on its strategy, Xcel Energy has filed an application for Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity with the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin for a new high voltage transmission line that will bring renewable energy to customers in Wisconsin, improve long-term reliability, and help manage the energy grid as it evolves.

Project Details and Benefits

The Western Wisconsin Transmission Connection is a proposed new 345-kilovolt transmission line that, if approved by the PSCW, will begin near Blair, Wis., connect to existing infrastructure near Eau Claire, and then connect to existing transmission lines to the north and east. Xcel Energy has proposed two route options for the PSCW to review.

“Delivering low-cost renewable energy to customers, while also providing unmatched reliability and keeping bills affordable is how Xcel Energy will lead the clean energy transition,” according to Karl Hoesly, President, Xcel Energy-

Wisconsin. “Projects like the Western Wisconsin Transmission Connection is a key step in serving our customers with the affordable, reliable, carbon-free electricity they need while also building the grid of the future for the region.”

The Western Wisconsin Transmission Connection, along with other projects being developed in Minnesota and Wisconsin, will enable the delivery of more than 2,500 megawatts of new renewable energy to customers in the two states, enough to power more than 1.3 million homes each year.

When combined with other transmission lines being developed in the region, including the Grid Forward-Central Wisconsin project proposed by ATC and Xcel Energy, the total economic benefit could exceed $900 million. These benefits will be delivered to customers through new access to low-cost renewable energy, improved long-term reliability and system resilience, and improved system performance that will help the grid operate more efficiently. Additionally, the Western Wisconsin Transmission Connection is expected to employ approximately 350 construction workers to help build the project. 

Bellin and Gundersen Health System have teamed up with a utility company to help  create an energy-efficient healthcare campus. The newly rebranded Emplify Health has launched the project with Xcel Energy, which will result in the first 100 percent resilient and renewable energy healthcare campuses in the United States.

The all-renewable energy microgrid on the health system’s Onalaska Campus will combine a new battery energy storage system with Gundersen’s existing solar panels and energy generated through a longtime partnership with the La Crosse County Landfill for even greater sustainability and resiliency during power grid outages.

The 44th Annual Meeting of Members was held at the Experimental Aircraft Association Museum in Oshkosh, WI, on September 19, 2024. After the meeting, members were treated to a guided museum tour.

After the business of the Annual Meeting was concluded, including an introduction to the current board members, nominations for the next year’s board, and treasury report, a panel comprised of representatives from Alliant Energy, MGE, WEC Energy Group, and Xcel Energy, focused on their respective company’s progress and energy initiatives.

Scott Jensen, political analyst, spoke to the membership about “Why Wisconsin is the Center of the Political Universe” regarding this presidential election year and the new districting map, which has made most of the legislative districts more competitive. The makeup of the state legislature will most likely take on a more bipartisan nature in the coming year, which will encourage debate.

Following Scott Jensen, Representative David Steffen, Chair of the Committee on Energy and Utilities, reviewed the issues that had come before the committee in the past year and said the ROFR (Right of First Refusal) had narrowly lost in the Senate and would likely come up for vote again in the new session. Steffen also encouraged members to contact their legislators regarding issues that are important to them and to share their perspectives with their representatives.

The WUI Board of Directors wishes to thank all members who attended the 2024 Annual Meeting, expert panel members, and guest speakers Scott Jensen and Rep. David Steffen.

Wisconsin Public Service is once again receiving national recognition for providing outstanding service to its customers. J.D. Power has named WPS as the best electric utility in the Midwest for customer satisfaction and trust in a recent nationwide study.

WPS is receiving the honor based on its strong finish in the J.D. Power 2024 U.S. Electric Utility Brand Appeal Index Study. WPS finished nearly 30 points higher in the study than the average Midwest electric utility’s score.

“This honor reflects our commitment to our customers,” according to Mike Hooper, President — WPS. “From delivering affordable, reliable and clean energy around the clock to supporting worthy causes across our region, our employees are proud to support their communities every day.”

WEC Energy Group has released its 2023 Corporate Responsibility Report. The report provides a comprehensive overview of the company's environmental, social and governance performance. The report outlines the progress made by WEC Energy Group and its family of companies on major projects and the company's mission to deliver affordable, reliable and clean energy across the Midwest.

The report also examines the company's climate strategy and the research and development of emerging technologies such as renewable natural gas, hydrogen power and long-duration battery storage.

"We're pleased to report that we continued to make solid progress on our industry-leading targets for reducing carbon and methane emissions. We recently retired additional coal generation, and moved up our timeline for a complete exit from coal — now planned by the end of 2032 — while adding renewable power and efficient natural gas to reliably serve our customers," according to Scott Lauber, President and CEO. "We have served the people of the Midwest for more than a century. The future is bright, and we are dedicated to powering our communities now and for many years to come.”