Natural gas offers MGE customers a safe, reliable, affordable and environmentally efficient energy source that will help enable MGE's path toward net-zero carbon electricity.
Natural gas adds needed reliability and balance to our electric system while we continue to transition away from coal-fired generation and add more renewable energy to our generation mix. The dispatchability and lower emissions associated with natural gas make it a powerful bridge fuel to ensure continued reliability and carbon reductions as technology continues to develop.
Natural gas is considered a bridge fuel. It complements intermittent renewable energy with reliable, dispatchable energy to ensure reliability for our customers as we continue to decarbonize our energy supply and grow our use of cost-effective renewable resources. Natural gas plants can be dispatched quickly and at times when it's more challenging for wind or solar generation, making it a reliable and cost-effective option to serve our customers as we grow our use of renewables—and invest in battery storage.
Renewable resources are used when they are available—when the wind is blowing and the sun is shining. Natural gas is used for generation when it is necessary for reliability, if there isn't enough wind blowing and sun shining.
The energy industry continues to evolve rapidly. New technologies continue to emerge and to evolve, such as carbon capture, utilization and sequestration, which, if proven cost-effective, hold the potential to make natural gas carbon-neutral in the future.
Batteries are another example of an evolving technology that goes hand in hand with natural gas as a bridge fuel. Paired with solar generation, batteries can provide reserve capacity to deliver power on demand for a period of time.
MGE is committed to our carbon reduction and net-zero carbon goals. We would expect to take advantage of new technologies and other options in the future, such as the early retirement or the sale of fossil fuel assets, that allow us to meet our goal of net-zero carbon electricity by 2050.
MGE owns 50 MW of the West Riverside Energy Center, a state-of-the-art, 730-MW, combined-cycle natural gas facility located near Beloit, Wis.
With the retirement of the Columbia Energy Center expected by midyear 2026 and the transition from coal to natural gas at the Elm Road Generating Station, the lower carbon intensity and dispatchability of the West Riverside Energy Center help us maintain our top-ranked electric reliability and work toward our goals of at least an 80% reduction in carbon emissions by 2030 and net-zero carbon electricity by 2050.
The West Riverside Energy Center is an existing facility, which means our investment will result in no new carbon emissions. The highly efficient West Riverside facility also has lower emission rates compared to coal-fired generation and other older natural gas plants. We expect the carbon emissions resulting from our 50-MW share to be less than 10% of the carbon emissions resulting from our share of the output of the Columbia Energy Center.
The 730-MW West Riverside Energy Center is operated by its majority owner, Alliant Energy. It generates enough energy to power more than 550,000 households a year.
This 157-MW natural gas-fired facility provides 150 MW of electricity to MGE customers. It also provides 500,000 lb/hr steam heat and 30,000 tons of chilled-water air-conditioning to the UW-Madison campus.
Through the efficiency of cogeneration and emission controls, it is one of the cleanest power plants in the Midwest.
The facility, jointly owned by MGE and the State of Wisconsin, began operation in spring 2005. MGE owns the assets related to electric production; UW-Madison owns the steam heat and chilled-water assets.
How often WCCF operates
WCCF's operation depends on several factors—from reliability needs to overall costs.
MGE is a member of the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO). WCCF is one of many regional generating facilities offered into MISO's daily energy supply. Because WCCF also provides steam heat to the UW-Madison campus, it can be called into operation even if MISO isn't requesting its service.
Working with the community
MGE and UW-Madison worked closely with others on this project to take steps beyond existing environmental regulations to further mitigate environmental impacts. Agreements with the City of Madison and neighborhood and environmental groups included:
Odana Hills Groundwater Recharge Project
This groundwater recharge project is designed to mitigate the impacts of water use by the WCCF. It infiltrates stormwater runoff from the Odana Pond into the groundwater system.
MGE owns and operates the 100-MW Blount plant in central Madison.
Blount advisory group
As part of MGE's Green Tier designation, a Community Environmental Advisory Group works in partnership with us on environmental issues at Blount. The group, which meets regularly with MGE, is made up of people who either live or work near Blount or are impacted by Blount.
Blount's operation
Blount's operation depends on several factors—from reliability needs to overall costs.
MGE is a member of the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO). Blount is one of many regional generating facilities offered into MISO's daily energy supply.
History of Blount Station
Blount Generating Station was built in 1902. It was the first gas engine central station in the country, replacing an earlier, smaller station on Williamson Street. The engines used in the plant ran off gas from the nearby MGE manufactured gas plant.
In 1915, the original generator building was extensively remodeled and a 10-MW turbo generator was installed. An adjacent building also was constructed to house four coal-stoker, low-pressure boilers that provided steam for the new generator. Subsequent construction projects added new boilers and high-pressure steam generators and replaced the old equipment.
A construction project in 1978-1979 added the capacity to burn refuse-derived fuel. It was one of the first such projects in the country and more successful than most. MGE retired 90 MW of older, less efficient capacity in 2011 when it discontinued burning coal as part of its Energy 2015 plan.
Together, we can reach our goal of a cleaner, more sustainable future.
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