New Wisconsin partnership seeking 20-40 MW

Wisconsin's Madison Gas & Electric (MGE) has joined with Wisconsin Public Power Inc (WPPI) to seek up to 20-40 MW of wind energy by 2005 and an equal amount of energy in subsequent years. The new partnership expands on MGE's intention, announced back in September, to buy between 10 to 20 MW of wind energy to fulfil customer demand under its green pricing program (Windpower Monthly, October 2003). Instead it has partnered with WPPI and released a request for proposals, for which responses were due at the beginning of December. The utilities are entertaining either power purchase agreements or ownership in projects, but they must be located in Wisconsin. Contracts could be signed as early as April 2004. WPPI, which provides power to 37 municipal utilities in Wisconsin and Minnesota, is a 50% owner with Missouri River Energy Services in a 3.6 MW project of NEG Micon turbines built in 2002 near Worthington, Minnesota. MG&E, which owns an 11.2 MW project in Kewaunee County, Wisconsin, completed in 1999, says it wants to be the first US investor-owned utility with a 5% participation rate in its green pricing program. Its penetration now stands at 3.6%. Wisconsin currently has 53 MW of installed wind capacity.