Business
MGE Announces Plans to End Remaining Use of Coal
Plan to end the use of coal as a primary fuel at Elm Road will help MGE achieve its carbon reduction goals MADISON, Wis.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Madison Gas and
About this update from Mge Energy Inc.
[{"type":"text","content":"\nPlan to end the use of coal as a primary fuel at Elm Road will help MGE achieve its carbon reduction goals\n\n MADISON, Wis.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--\nMadison Gas and Electric (MGE) is taking another step toward its goal of net-zero carbon electricity with plans to eliminate coal-fired generation from its portfolio by 2035. This anticipated step will end the company's investment in coal-fired power generation and advance its goal of deep decarbonization.\n\nFuture plans for Elm Road Generating Station\n\nMGE is a minority owner of the Elm Road Generating Station in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, owning 8.33%. The approximately 1,230-megawatt (MW) coal-fired plant is owned by WEC Energy Group, whose subsidiary serves as operator, and by WPPI Energy, Inc.\n\nAs majority owner, WEC Energy Group has announced plans to transition the Elm Road units to natural gas as their primary fuel source. This transition is expected to reduce the use of coal at Elm Road substantially by 2030 and to eliminate coal as an energy source at Elm Road by 2035.\n\n\"We have said since introducing our clean energy and carbon reduction goals—if we can go further faster, we will. By working with our partners to transition to natural gas as the primary fuel source, MGE expects to substantially reduce the use of coal at Elm Road by 2030 and to have no coal-fired power plants by 2035,\" MGE Chairman, President and CEO Jeff Keebler said. \"Our continued transition away from coal and our significant investments in renewable energy represent our ongoing commitment to a cost-effective clean energy transition that benefits all MGE customers and maintains MGE's top-ranked electric reliability.\"\n\nOngoing transition away from coal-fired generation\n\nMGE announced several years ago it was transitioning away from coal.\n\nEarlier this year, MGE and its utility partners announced plans to retire the approximately 1,100-MW coal-fired Columbia Energy Center near Portage, Wisconsin, 15 years ahead of schedule.\n\nBy 2025, with the planned retirement of both units at Columbia, MGE will have eliminated approximately two-thirds of the company's current coal-fired generation capacity. By 2030, the company's remaining use of coal is expected to be reduced substantially, and by 2035, MGE is expected to eliminate coal as an energy source.\n\n\"Transitioning away from coal has been a priori...