News

The state Public Service Commission has approved the WE Energies purchase of four large wind, solar and battery projects totaling over 450 megawatts.

(The four projects approved by the commission will provide more than 450 megawatts of energy, according to We Energies, or enough to power around 150,000 homes. We Energies expects the projects to come online in 2027 and 2028.)

Two of the projects include the 200-megawatt Ursa Solar Park in Columbia County and Wood County's 150-megawatt Saratoga Solar Energy Center. The Wood County facility will also include a 50-megawatt battery storage plant.

The commission also approved the Whitetail Wind Farm in Grant County and the Badger Hollow Wind Farm in Iowa and Grant counties. These facilities will provide up to 185 megawatts.

We Energies will own the majority of each facility. The rest is split between Madison Gas & Electric and the Wisconsin Public Service Corporation, another subsidiary of We Energies.

“The new projects will serve customers year-round and are expected to provide customers millions of dollars in fuel cost and federal tax credit savings," according to We Energies’ President, Mike Hooper.

The Board of Directors of WEC Energy Group has announced that it is planning to raise the quarterly dividend on the company's common stock to 95.25 cents per share in the first quarter of 2026. This would represent an increase of 6.0 cents per share, or 6.7 percent.

The directors expect to declare the new dividend at their regularly scheduled meeting in January. The dividend — which would be equivalent to an annual rate of $3.81 per share — would be payable March 1, 2026, to stockholders of record on February 13, 2026.

"The board's review today is consistent with our ongoing plan targeting a dividend payout ratio of 65 to 70 percent of earnings," said Scott Lauber, president and CEO. "The projected dividend for 2026 is in line with the company's objective to grow the dividend at a 6.5 to 7 percent compound annual rate."

In addition, the company introduced earnings guidance for 2026. “Calendar year 2026 earnings are expected to be in a range of $5.51 to $5.61 per share, which is consistent with our short-term projected EPS growth guidance. Our long-term EPS growth over the next five years is projected to be 7 to 8 percent on a compound annual basis,” he said.

Governor Tony Evers has announced that he has appointed John W. Miller to serve as Secretary and CEO of the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation, effective December 15, 2025. The position became vacant after former secretary-CEO Missy Hughes resigned earlier this fall to pursue a campaign for governor. 

Miller previously worked in public service for Wisconsin’s 4th Congressional District, later led his family’s agricultural equipment company Miller-St. Nazianz Inc., and founded Arenberg Holdings, a Milwaukee venture capital firm. He holds a law degree from the University of Wisconsin and has served on several nonprofit and community boards.

Xcel Energy crews safely restored power to customers after a winter storm with heavy, wet snow and high winds swept across northern Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan in late November, creating widespread outages and damage to trees, poles and power lines. About 14,000 customers were affected, mainly in Manitowish Waters and Hayward, Wisconsin areas and Ironwood, Michigan.

Madison Gas and Electric has filed a joint application with State regulators to add more than 85 megawatts (MW) of solar capacity and 18 MW of battery storage to its generation portfolio.

These projects represent the latest investments in MGE's efforts to continue reducing carbon as quickly and cost-effectively as possible.

The company said, “With our current plans, by 2030, it will have added more than 40 renewable generation and battery storage projects since 2015, totaling more than 750 MW, propelling the company toward its goal of net-zero carbon electricity by 2050.”

Several solar projects have been proposed, approved, or completed in central Wisconsin. The arrays cover hundreds of acres of former farm, prairie, and forest land with hundreds of thousands of roughly 17-square-foot modular photovoltaic panels with the capacity to produce electricity for tens of thousands of homes.

Here is a summary of the current status of these projects:

Vista Sands Solar Farm

Developer: Doral Renewables

Location:  town of Plover, town of Grant, and village of Plover in Portage County

Project area: 9,500 acres

Generation capacity: 1.2 gigawatts, equal to the demand of 200,000 average Wisconsin homes

Construction start date: second quarter 2026

Date of activation: by the end of 2028

Annual payment in lieu of property taxes to local governments: $6.5 million total − town of Plover: $758,767, town of Grant: $1,955,633, town of Buena Vista: $140,400 and Portage County: $3,712,800

When completed, the Vista Sands Solar Farm project will be the largest solar array project in Wisconsin and among the largest in the country. Solar farm development is anticipated to take 56 high capacity wells out of normal operation and will greatly reduce the estimated 3 million pounds of fertilizer and 73,000 gallons of insecticide currently spread across the project area every year.

Saratoga Solar

Developer: Invenergy

Contracted purchaser: We Energies

Location: town of Saratoga in Wood County

Project area: 825 acres

Generation capacity: 150.5 megawatts, or 28,000 Wisconsin homes

Construction start date: spring 2026

Date of activation: spring 2028

Annual payment to local governments: $602,000 total − town of Saratoga: $250,833 and Wood County: $351,167

The Saratoga Solar project is a mirrored version of a project completed in 2022 on an adjacent property. Work to prepare the project site is underway, including pouring foundations and working with local officials on an emergency response plan, with construction set to begin in spring 2026, according to an Invenergy spokesperson.

Invenergy has completed 12 energy projects across eight counties in Wisconsin with an inventory of generation units including natural gas, energy storage, solar and wind, according to an Invenergy spokesperson. These projects contribute more than $20.8 million annually in local revenue and land costs across the state.

Wood County Solar

Developer: Alliant Energy

Location: Town of Saratoga

Project area: 1,200 acres

Generation capacity: 150 megawatts, or 40,000 homes

Construction start date: July 2021

Date of activation: late summer 2022

Annual payment to local governments: $600,000 total − town of Saratoga: $250,000 and Wood County: $350,000

Wood County Solar was the first of the two utility-scale solar projects in the town of Saratoga for which former Kansas-based developer Savion received initial approvals from the Public Service Commission before Alliant and Invenergy acquired each project.

Portage Solar

Developer: Geronimo Power (formerly National Grid Renewables)

Contracted purchaser: Microsoft

Location: towns of Grant and Plover in Portage County

Project area: 2,167 acres

Generation capacity: 250 megawatts

Construction start date: April 14, 2025

Date of activation: late 2026

Annual payment to local governments: $1 million total − town of Grant: $75,000, town of Plover: $341,667 and Portage County: $583,332

The Portage Solar project received its initial approval in April 2023. The company has announced a power purchase agreement with Microsoft. The company also days about $1.25 million to be committed over the first 20 years of the project’s life to a “community charity fund,” which will support local nonprofit groups and community initiatives.

Wautoma Solar Project

Developer: Alliant Energy

Location: city of Wautoma and town of Dakota in Waushara County

Project area: 624 acres

Generation capacity: 99 megawatts, or 26,000 homes

Construction start date: July 2022

Date of activation: December 2023

Annual payment to local governments: about $400,000 split between town of Dakota, city of Wautoma and Waushara County

The Wautoma Solar project was completed by Alliant Energy in December 2023 as a part of the company’s “Clean Energy Blueprint.” The initiative led to construction of 12 utility-scale solar projects built by the utility company in recent years including the first array in the town of Saratoga in Wood County.

Xcel Energy has received approval from the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin to move forward with the Western Wisconsin Transmission Connection (WWTC) project. The new 345-kilovolt (kV) transmission line is a key step to delivering continued electric reliability and connecting Wisconsin’s electric grid to a growing network of low-cost renewable energy across the Upper Midwest.

“The WWTC project represents a critical investment in Wisconsin’s energy future,” according to Karl Hoesly, President, Xcel Energy – Wisconsin and Michigan. “It reflects years of collaboration with communities and regulators to ensure a stronger, more resilient grid that can serve customers reliably for decades to come.”

Once complete, the WWTC project will enhance Xcel Energy’s Wisconsin transmission network and support ongoing grid improvements across the Upper Midwest, ensuring customers continue to receive reliable, low-cost power as demand grows. The roughly 80-mile transmission line will connect new and existing substations, beginning near Blair in Trempealeau County, connecting to a substation near Eau Claire, and linking to an existing 345-kV line near Owen in Clark County.

Once complete, the WWTC will provide a strong connection to Wisconsin’s 345-kV transmission network, helping enhance the reliability, efficiency and delivery of energy to customers in the region.

WWTC also represents one segment of the Midcontinent Independent System Operator’s (MISO) Tranche 1 portfolio — a series of transmission projects designed to expand access to renewable energy and improve reliability across the Midwest. WWTC will interconnect with new and existing transmission lines under development in southern Minnesota, western Wisconsin and central Wisconsin, further strengthening the regional grid and advancing the transition to a cleaner energy future.

Alliant Energy’s first 100-megawatt battery energy storage system (BESS) is now operational in southwest Wisconsin. The battery captures and stores excess energy generated by solar and other resources, releasing the energy to the grid when needed. It sits next to Alliant’s 200-MW solar project in Grant County. 

“Energy storage systems, like this one, complement our existing generation resources and serve as an incredibly important step toward creating a more intelligent and resilient grid,” David de Leon, president of Alliant Energy’s Wisconsin energy company, said in a statement. “The combination of BESS and solar is a critical part of our balanced energy portfolio. Collectively, they offer enormous potential, adding value and flexibility, while ensuring the availability of reliable and cost-effective energy for our customers.”

The battery system can power over 100,000 homes for up to four hours on a single charge. Expanding into battery storage is part of Alliant Energy’s Energy Blueprint, a roadmap for advancing and balancing energy options.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has finally approved energy company Enbridge’s plans to reroute an aging oil pipeline around a northern Wisconsin tribal reservation.

Enbridge plans to build a new 41-mile (66-kilometer) pipeline segment around the reservation of the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa. The tribe and environmentalists had wanted the pipeline off reservation land, but the Army Corps of Engineers has now approved the separate federal permit.

The application window for the Prairie du Sac Dam Aquatic Resources Enhancement Fund opened November 1, 2025, and runs through January 31, 2026. 

This grant program supports initiatives to enhance the ecological health and biodiversity of the Wisconsin River and surrounding aquatic ecosystems. As part of its commitment to environmental stewardship and community engagement, Alliant Energy invites eligible organizations to apply for grants to enhance the sustainable preservation of this vital natural resource.

“The Prairie du Sac Hydroelectric Dam plays a significant role in flood control, managing water levels and supporting nearby recreational activities,” said Jake Hebl, manager of renewable assets at Alliant Energy. “We are proud to be an Aquatic Resources Enhancement Fund partner and promoting environmental stewardship.”