Wisconsin Regulators Approve Two New Solar Projects

KEY POINTS

• The Public Service Commission of Wisconsin unanimously approved We Energies’ Good Oak and Gristmill solar facilities in Columbia County.

• The projects add 165 MW of solar power to the grid at an estimated cost of $360.6 million.

• Developed by OneEnergy Renewables across 1200 acres, they are expected to begin serving customers in 2028 following construction and testing.

Wisconsin regulators unanimously approved We Energies’ purchase of two new solar projects in Columbia County on March 19, 2026, marking another significant step in the state’s renewable energy expansion as electricity demand continues to grow.

The Public Service Commission of Wisconsin gave the green light to the Good Oak Solar Generation Facility and the Gristmill Solar Generation Facility, which together will contribute 165 megawatts of solar power to the grid. According to We Energies, this is enough to power approximately 50,000 homes.

Powering Increased Electricity Needs

“The Good Oak and Gristmill solar projects are part of our ‘all the above’ energy strategy that supports continued reliability and helps keep energy costs down for our customers,” said Mike Hooper, president of We Energies, in a statement. “Today’s commission approval will add more renewable energy to the power grid and support the state’s increased electricity needs in the coming years.”

We Energies will hold the majority ownership of the projects, with Wisconsin Public Service (WPS) and Madison Gas and Electric (MGE) also holding stakes. Ownership is divided between the two sites. We Energies will control 78.7 MW of Good Oak and 53.6 MW of Gristmill, while WPS and MGE will each hold 9.8 MW of Good Oak and 6.7 MW of Gristmill.

Combined $360M Solar Project Footprint of 1200 Acres 

According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Good Oak will span 800 acres in the Town of Lewiston and consist of 191,000 solar panels, while Gristmill covers roughly half that footprint with nearly 132,000 panels in the Town of Columbus. The combined estimated cost of the two projects is approximately $360.6 million, according to the Public Service Commission.

The projects, developed by OneEnergy Renewables, are expected to begin serving customers in 2028 following construction and testing. Additional construction details were not available.

Should the commission approve We Energies’ proposal to establish a separate electric rate for large data centers, 70% of energy from both facilities would be allocated to data center customers, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported.

This approval comes as Wisconsin utilities continue to invest in new generation resources to meet growing power demands and accelerate the transition to cleaner energy. 

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