Dive Brief:
- Wisconsin Power & Light plans to add a natural gas plant by 2019 after shutting down coal-fired power plants in southwestern Wisconsin. The $290-million project is part of its five-year capital spending plan.
- The unit of Alliant Energy is also considering upgrades of existing natural gas-fired plants as it looks to add 300 MW of generation to compensate for the closed coal capacity.
- Neighboring utility Wisconsin Public Service also is planning to build gas-fired generatlon to replace coal capacity.
Dive Insight:
Both utilities have been laggards over the years in complying with the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) enforcement of the Clean Air Act as it pertains to operation of coal-fired generation units. Their plans to alter their generation mix is a result of settlements with EPA.
