MGE Partnering with the City of Middleton and Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District on Large Solar Project

Innovative program advances city's, school district's and MGE's clean energy goals.

Morey Field

Madison, Wis., July 25, 2019 – Madison Gas and Electric (MGE) received approval today from the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin to partner with the City of Middleton and the Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District on a large solar project next to Middleton Municipal Airport's Morey Field.

Renewable Energy Rider

  • MGE's Renewable Energy Rider is designed for large energy users.
  • Large-scale solar array to be built at Morey Field in Middleton.
  • Partnership advances MGE's goal of net-zero carbon electricity by 2050.
  • Part of the array serves MGE's Shared Solar program for residential and business electric customers.
"MGE shares the goal of a cleaner energy future with the City of Middleton and the Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District. This partnership advances those shared goals, including MGE's goal of net-zero carbon electricity by the year 2050," said MGE Chairman, President and CEO Jeff Keebler.

Renewable Energy Rider  

A 1-megawatt (MW) share of the 5-MW solar array will serve the Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District under MGE's Renewable Energy Rider (RER). A .5-MW share will serve the City of Middleton under a separate RER agreement.

Under an RER, MGE partners with a large energy user to tailor a renewable energy solution to meet that customer's energy needs. RER customers are responsible for costs associated with the renewable generation facility and any distribution costs to deliver energy to the business. The innovative model grows clean energy in our community.

Details of 5-MW Solar Project 

The remaining 70 percent of the solar array will serve MGE's Shared Solar program, which is open to MGE's residential and business electric customers who want to power their home or business with locally generated solar energy. Subscribers to the voluntary program can purchase up to half of their annual electricity use through Shared Solar. MGE's first Shared Solar project is a 500-kilowatt array built on the roof of Middleton's Municipal Operations Center in 2016. 

About MGE

MGE generates and distributes electricity to 153,000 customers in Dane County, Wis., and purchases and distributes natural gas to 161,000 customers in seven south-central and western Wisconsin counties. MGE's parent company is MGE Energy, Inc. The company's roots in the Madison area date back more than 150 years.

Steve Schultz - Corporate Communications Manager
Madison Gas and Electric
608-252-7219 | sbschultz@mge.com