Coal-Fired Generation
MGE has no controlling interest in coal-fired resources. In 2011, MGE discontinued the use of coal at the only generating facility in which we have sole ownership, our Blount Generating Station. MGE is a minority owner in two coal-fired power plants, the Columbia Energy Center and Elm Road Generating Station.
MGE coal-fired generation
Columbia Energy Center
- MGE is a minority owner of the Columbia Energy Center near Portage, Wis. MGE co-owns the power plant with WEC Energy Group and Alliant Energy.
- Built in the early 1970s, the approximately 1,100-MW facility has two coal-fired units.
- Alliant Energy is the operating utility.
- Columbia's co-owners continue to evaluate transitioning away from coal and replacing the generation from Columbia while maintaining electric service reliability. Columbia's co-owners also are exploring converting Columbia to natural gas.
- The Columbia Energy Storage Project, a partnership between the co-owners of the plant, received State regulatory approval to proceed. The 18-MW project, which is expected to be complete by the end of 2027, is the first long-duration energy storage system of its kind to be developed in the United States.
Elm Road Generating Station at Oak Creek
- MGE is a minority owner of the Elm Road Generating Station at the Oak Creek Power Plant located in Oak Creek, Wis., along with We Energies and Wisconsin Public Power Inc.
- Unit 1 began operation in February 2010 and Unit 2 in January 2011. The units produce a total of 1,230 MW.
- MGE receives about 100 MW from the plant's two units.
- In fall 2021, MGE and the co-owners of the Elm Road Generating Station announced the plant's planned transition from coal to natural gas. In October 2025, MGE, along with the plant co-owners, filed a joint application with State regulators to end the use of coal as a primary fuel at the Elm Road Units and transition the plant to natural gas.
- By the end of 2030, coal is expected to be used only as a backup fuel at Elm Road. By the end of 2032, MGE expects that the plant will be fully transitioned away from coal.
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