News

The 45th Annual Meeting of Members was held at The Cove of Lake Geneva followed by a historic boat tour aboard The Lady of the Lake, the flagship boat of the Lake Geneva Cruise Line.

Notably, at this year’s business meeting, two current board members chose to not seek re-election, stepping down off the board, and three new nominees to the board were voted in. Chair of the nomination committee, Don Reck, stepped down after serving on the board for six years, and Lynne English after serving two years. Mr. Reck’s final official business in his role as nomination committee chair was to bring three new board members into service by a vote of the membership. Robert Bartlett, formerly Director of Community Affairs at Alliant Energy, Andrew (Andy) Hesselbach, a recently retired former Senior Vice President with WEC Energy Group, and Scott Patulsky, who served as We-Energies Vice President of Fossil Operations among many other engineering leadership positions, were all voted onto the board of directors.

A panel of company lobbyists updated the crowd on the latest developments, lamenting the current political polarization that has made finding consensus on important issues extremely difficult.

Keynote speaker Bert Garvin, Vice President, External Affairs at WEC Energy Group, reviewed his company’s current and future plans. He told members the company expects EPS future growth of between 6.5 and 8 percent. Many questions concerned the proposed data centers and their potential impacts on customers. He said the company expects to deliver the best risk-adjusted returns in the industry. The utilities are in agreement that the new data centers are a positive generation driver, the costs of which will not be passed along to the consumer. The data center will employ environmentally conscious technology which will minimize any environmental impact. Please see the “WEC Energy Group Preparing for Additional 1800 MW...” article at the end of this newsletter for more information.

Following the meeting, members were treated to a boat tour of Lake Geneva.

Site Selector Magazine announced for the seventh 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 $3.9 billion in new capital investment and creating more than 2,410 new jobs in 2024.

“Alliant Energy is once again proud to be honored as a top utility in economic development,” said May Farlinger, President – Alliant Energy's Iowa energy company and Vice President of Energy Delivery. “Economic development is a critical component to supporting our purpose driven strategy to build strong communities and serve customers.”

American Transmission Company has been awarded its #4 ranking on FORTUNE Magazine’s Best Workplaces in Manufacturing & Production 2025 list. Fortune’s Best Workplaces lists highlight organizations excelling in creating positive, inclusive and engaging work environments.   

Xcel Energy has named Lynn Hall as the new Community Relations manager for northern Wisconsin and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. She succeeds Ken Disher, who retired after 35 years of service with the company.

A lifelong Ashland resident, Hall brings more than 25 years of experience in project management and community outreach to her new role. She most recently served as an Environmental Analyst responsible for Xcel Energy’s facilities in northern Wisconsin and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, which included the Bay Front Power Plant and three hydroelectric plants.

Prior to joining Xcel Energy, Hall worked as an environmental manager with the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, and previously with the City of Ashland, where she oversaw operations of the city’s water and wastewater treatment plants.

Hall holds a bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of Wisconsin-Superior.

“We’re excited to have Lynn lead our local Community Relations and Economic Development efforts in the region,” said Brian Elwood, regional vice president, Customer and Community Relations. “Her deep knowledge of our operations and the area make her exceptionally well-suited for this role.”

Area residents may also recognize Hall for her long-standing leadership of the peregrine falcon program at the Bay Front Power Plant. In partnership with the Raptor Resource Project and local schools, the program has successfully hatched, banded and monitored 37 peregrine falcon chicks since 2014.

Alliant Energy has filed, with the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin, a unanimous settlement agreement regarding electric and natural gas rates in Wisconsin for 2026 and 2027. Alliant Energy reached this settlement with all of the intervening parties who represent a broad array of stakeholders, including Blacks for Political and Social Action of Dane County (BPSA), Citizens Utility Board (CUB), Clean Wisconsin, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 965 (IBEW), RENEW Wisconsin, Wisconsin Industrial Energy Group (WIEG) and Walmart.

“The settlement filed with the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin reflects the collaborative effort among stakeholders to advance Alliant Energy’s commitment to provide cost-effective, reliable energy to customers,” according to David de Leon, President of Alliant Energy’s Wisconsin energy company. “We appreciate the thoughtful, transparent engagement and are confident our balanced energy mix, along with increased customer offerings, will help grow the communities we serve while also powering customers forward.”

A biogas company in Brown County that processes food waste and cow manure into methane sold for energy purposes has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

NLC Energy Denmark LLC, which has a plant in Denmark, Wisconsin, is seeking to restructure around $76 million in secured debt, according to documents filed August 16th in U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin.

The filing follows years of financial and technical difficulties for the biogas developer which has seen operating losses of approximately $1 million per month, court records showed.

NLC Energy Denmark was established in 2008, as NEW Organic Digestion LLC, with an existing food waste digester that produced biomethane used to make electricity that it sold.

“The most important thing for people in Wisconsin to know is that we’re fully on track with construction on our data center in Mt. Pleasant, it’s still expected to go online in 2026, and our $3.3 billion commitment remains intact. We are committed to our projects to help prepare the workforce and Wisconsin manufacturers for the future.” – Microsoft Spokesperson, March 2025.

As Brad Smith, Vice Chair and President at Microsoft explained, what makes this datacenter distinctive isn’t just its scale or speed — it’s how thoughtfully it’s built, with both people and the planet in mind. From day one, sustainability has been central to its design.

More than 90 percent of the facility will rely on a state-of-the-art closed-loop liquid cooling system, filled during construction and recirculated continuously. The remaining portion of the facility will use outside air for cooling, switching to water only on the hottest days, minimizing environmental impact and maximizing operational efficiency. The result is a technological milestone — a datacenter with enough fiber cable to circle the Earth four times, yet its annual water use is modest, requiring roughly the amount of water a typical restaurant uses annually or what an 18-hole golf course consumes weekly in peak summer.

We appreciate that energy prices are increasing across the country and have worked hard to ensure our datacenter will not drive-up costs for our neighbors. That’s why we’re pre-paying for the energy and electrical infrastructure that we’ll use — ensuring prices remain stable and protecting consumers from future cost increases because of our datacenter.

WEC Energy Group reports second-quarter results

WEC Energy Group has reported net income of $245.4 million, or 76 cents per share, for the second quarter of 2025 — up from $211.3 million, or 67 cents per share, in last year's second quarter.

For the first six months of 2025, the company recorded net income of $969.6 million, or $3.02 per share — up from $833.6 million, or $2.64 per share, in the corresponding period a year ago. Consolidated revenues totaled $5.2 billion, up $706.8 million from the first half of 2024.

"A warm start to the summer, steady execution of our capital plan and a continued focus on operating efficiency were major factors that shaped a strong quarter," according to Scott Lauber, President and CEO.

Retail deliveries of electricity – excluding the iron ore mine in Michigan's Upper Peninsula — were up by 1.0 percent in the second quarter of 2025, compared to the second quarter last year.

Electricity consumption by small commercial and industrial customers was 0.6 percent higher. Electricity use by large commercial and industrial customers — excluding the iron ore mine — increased by 0.8 percent. Residential electricity use rose by 1.6 percent.

On a weather-normal basis, retail deliveries of electricity during the second quarter of this year — excluding the iron ore mine — increased by 1.1 percent.

The company is reaffirming its 2025 earnings guidance of $5.17 to $5.27 per share. This assumes normal weather for the remainder of the year.

WEC Energy Group declares quarterly dividend

The Board of Directors of WEC Energy Group has declared a quarterly cash dividend of 89.25 cents per share on the company's common stock.

The dividend was payable September 1, 2025, to stockholders of record on August 14, 2025. This marks the 332^nd consecutive quarter — dating back to 1942 — that the company will have paid a dividend to its stockholders.

MGE Energy Reports Second-Quarter 2025 Earnings

MGE Energy's GAAP earnings for the second quarter of 2025 were $26.5 million, or $0.73 per share, compared to $23.8 million, or $0.66 per share, for the same period in the prior year. Rate base investment growth and weather impacts drove our second-quarter results.

In the second quarter of 2025, electric net income increased $3.9 million compared to the second quarter of 2024. MGE continues to invest in new, cost-effective renewable generation, supporting the company’s ongoing asset growth. An increase in electric investments included in rate base contributed to higher electric earnings for 2025. In March 2025, the Darien Solar Project in Rock and Walworth counties became operational, followed by the Paris Battery Energy Storage System (BESS), which went into service in June 2025. These additions further enhance electric system reliability and contributed to the increase in electric earnings. MGE owns 25 MW of solar capacity from the Darien Solar Project and 11 MW of battery capacity associated with the Paris BESS project.

For the second quarter of 2025, electric residential sales increased approximately 5 percent, largely driven by warmer-than-normal weather. Gas net income exhibited steady performance, with minimal variation compared to the second quarter of 2024.

MGE Energy Increases Dividend for 50th Consecutive Year

The Board of Directors of MGE Energy has increased the regular quarterly dividend rate 5.6 percent to $0.4750 per share on the outstanding shares of the company’s common stock. The dividend is payable September 15, 2025, to shareholders of record September 1, 2025. This raises the annualized dividend rate by 10 cents from $1.80 per share to $1.90 per share.

"Today’s action by our board marks a milestone that only a select number of companies have achieved of increasing the dividend for 50 consecutive years, reinforcing our commitment to consistent and sustainable dividend growth and signaling the continued strength of MGE Energy’s long-term business strategy for building your community energy company for the future," according to Chairman, President and CEO Jeff Keebler. "MGE Energy continues to focus on our mission to provide safe, reliable, affordable and sustainable energy and on our disciplined financial management to provide ongoing value to our customers and shareholders."

MGE Energy has paid cash dividends for more than 110 years. 

XCEL Energy Second Quarter 2025 Earnings Report

Xcel Energy has reported 2025 second quarter GAAP earnings of $444 million, or $0.75 per share, compared with $302 million, or $0.54 per share in the same period in 2024.  Second quarter ongoing earnings reflect increased recovery of infrastructure investments, partially offset by higher interest charges, depreciation and O&M expenses.

“Xcel Energy continues to deliver on our commitments to our customers, communities and investors,” according to Bob Frenzel, Chairman, President and CEO of Xcel Energy. “During the second quarter, we made considerable progress on investments needed to serve unprecedented growth in electric demand and to improve resiliency and reliability of our systems. In Texas and New Mexico, we filed our recommended portfolio for nearly 5,200 MW of new generation, of which 4,500 MW will be company owned. We also continue to make progress reducing risk from wildfires and extreme weather on our system, with both the Colorado and Texas commissions approving our settlements for our Wildfire Mitigation and System Resiliency Plans.”

Xcel Energy Declares Dividend on Common Stock

The Board of Directors of Xcel Energy has declared a quarterly dividend on its common stock of 57 cents per share. The dividends are payable October 20, 2025, to shareholders of record on September 15, 2025.