Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability Report

MGE's Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability Report details our corporate responsibility, environmental leadership and sustainability goals. It also covers our clean energy investments and partnerships with customers and other stakeholders to advance sustainability through energy efficiency, new technologies and other ways.

Net-zero carbon electricity by 2050

MGE is on the path toward deep decarbonization, pursuing globally recognized strategies to achieve an ambitious goal of net-zero carbon electricity by 2050. Our deep decarbonization goal is consistent with climate science. And, consistent with the science, we fully expect to achieve carbon reductions of at least 80% by 2030. By 2030, we expect every MGE electric customer will have 80% fewer carbon emissions from their electricity use simply by being an MGE customer.

Both the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and the U.S. Mid-Century Strategy (MCS) for Deep Decarbonization rely on decarbonizing electric generation, using energy efficiently and electrifying other energy uses, including transportation. These are the strategies MGE is pursuing and will continue to pursue to achieve deep decarbonization.

“MGE was one of the first utilities nationwide to set a goal of net-zero carbon electricity by 2050, and we continue to work toward our goal of reducing carbon at least 80% by the end of this decade,” said Chairman, President and CEO Jeff Keebler. “We’re working aggressively toward these goals while ensuring that we continue to provide safe and reliable service and that all of our customers enjoy the economic and environmental benefits of our clean energy transition. That is part of our fundamental commitment to serve our customers as your community energy company.” 

Report highlights

The 2023 report and our ESG Data Center feature information about MGE's corporate strategy and climate-related matters, safety and operations, customer and employee engagement, risk management, and governance and oversight. Highlights include:

  • MGE’s plans and strategies to reduce carbon at least 80% by 2030 as we work with customers toward achieving net-zero carbon electricity by 2050.
  • MGE’s goal and plans to achieve net-zero methane emissions from our natural gas distribution system by 2035. 
  • MGE’s ongoing transition away from coal-fired generation and our plans to eliminate it from the company’s portfolio by the end of 2032. By the end of 2030, MGE expects coal to be used only as a backup fuel at the Elm Road Generating Station, which plans to transition to natural gas.
  • An estimated billion dollars in clean energy investment expected from 2015 through 2028. Since fall 2015, when our Energy 2030 framework was announced and through year-end 2022, MGE has announced clean energy projects that we expect will increase our owned renewable capacity by more than nine times upon completion.
  • MGE is partnering on an innovative, first-of-its-kind in the United States long-duration energy storage system that would be capable of providing more than 10 hours of energy storage, if approved by state regulators. Known as the Columbia Energy Storage Project, the 20-megawatt project was selected in 2023 to receive a federal grant.  
  • The company’s Statement on Human Rights adopted in 2022 by the Board of Directors.
  • Industry leadership. MGE continues to be top-ranked for electric reliability, placing second for the fewest number of electric outages per customer, according to the most recent results from an annual industry survey including more than 75 electric utilities nationwide. MGE crews also continue to earn high marks when notified of a potential natural gas emergency with MGE’s total response time ranking in the top 12% of a nationwide industry survey, based on 2022 data.
  • MGE’s Occupational Health and Safety Policy. Introduced in 2022, the policy recognizes the risks inherent to occupational health and safety and embraces safe work practices and environments as fundamental values at MGE.
  • The company’s charitable giving benefiting local communities. In the last five years, the company’s philanthropic arm, the MGE Foundation, has given more than $8.3 million to more than 400 nonprofit organizations.

Commitment to transparency and disclosure
MGE is committed to helping customers, investors and other stakeholders better understand the company's goals, long-term strategies and progress toward achieving its goals.  
 
CDP (Carbon Disclosure Project)
To advance transparency and disclosure in company operations and governance, MGE submits data to the global environmental impact disclosure platform CDP. The company’s climate change questionnaire is available online.
 
Edison Electric Institute (EEI) and American Gas Association (AGA)
MGE also continues to participate in EEI’s ESG and sustainability reporting templates. The voluntary, industry-specific templates are designed to provide more uniform and consistent reporting of data and information from the electric and natural gas sectors. The templates include data related to MGE's portfolio (generation and capacity), emissions, capital expenditures, human and natural resources, and other matters.
 
MGE’s CDP questionnaire, EEI-AGA templates and Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures Report are available in our ESG Data Center.