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Risks Associated with Expanding Natural Gas-Fired Generating Capacity in Wisconsin

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Wisconsin's transition to a cleaner and more sustainable energy mix is gaining momentum, with the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin considering a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity for the South Oak Creek Combustion Turbine Project. However, a close examination of the project's environmental, health, and economic impacts reveals significant risks associated with expanding natural gas-fired generating capacity in the state. Renewable energy advocates, like Andrew Kell of RENEW Wisconsin, are sounding the alarm on these risks, urging the Commission to gather more information and consider the state's existing natural gas-fired generating capacity, the need for reliability services, and the transition to clean gases before authorizing the project.

Key Takeaways:

  • The proposed South Oak Creek Combustion Turbine Project would be a 1,100-Megawatt (MW) generating facility composed of 5 Combustion Turbine (CT) units that would combust natural gas to generate electricity.
  • The project's proponents, Wisconsin Electric Power Company (WEPCO), claim that the project is necessary to provide reliability and serve potential peak load growth.
  • However, Andrew Kell, a renewable energy advocate, argues that there are significant risks associated with expanding natural gas-fired generating capacity in Wisconsin, including greenhouse gas emissions and other non-GHG emissions that impact human health.
  • Kell recommends that the Commission gather detailed information on the capabilities of Wisconsin's current natural gas-fired generation capacity, which totals over 8 Gigawatts (GW), and define and quantify the need for reliability services.
  • He also suggests that the Commission incorporate societal risks and the social cost of carbon associated with new natural gas-fired capacity investments using Cost-Benefit Analysis.
  • Additionally, Kell recommends that the Commission investigate research and development and pilot projects needed for gas-fired generation transition to clean gases and deny the project until more robust information and analysis shows that higher priority clean energy alternatives cannot meet the needs for both WEPCO ratepayers and the state of Wisconsin.
  • The project's emissions would be substantial, with WEPCO's application estimating that the proposed project would emit 1.242 million tons of CO2 per year during normal operations.
  • Andrew Kell's testimony highlights the importance of considering the state's existing natural gas-fired generating capacity, the need for reliability services, and the transition to clean gases before authorizing the project.

Statistics:

  • The proposed South Oak Creek Combustion Turbine Project would have a total capacity of 1,100 MW.
  • Wisconsin's existing natural gas-fired generation capacity totals over 8 Gigawatts (GW).
  • The project's proponents, WEPCO, estimate that the proposed project would emit 1.242 million tons of CO2 per year during normal operations.
  • Andrew Kell recommends that the Commission gather detailed information on the capabilities of Wisconsin's current natural gas-fired generation capacity.

Sources:

  • Wisconsin Public Service Commission. Application of Wisconsin Electric Power Company for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity to Construct and Operate the South Oak Creek Combustion Turbine Project. Docket No. 6630-CE-317.
  • RENEW Wisconsin. Andrew Kell's Testimony. Ex.-RENEW-Kell-1.
  • University of Wisconsin-Madison. Wisconsin's Roadmap to Net Zero by 2050: Summary Report. Ex.-RENEW-Kell-2.

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