State regulators have signed off on the Dawn Harvest Solar and Battery Energy Storage Facility in Rock County, clearing the way for a 150-megawatt solar array paired with 50 megawatts of battery storage that We Energies says will power more than 45,000 homes. We Energies will be the majority owner, while Invenergy is developing the project, which is slated to begin serving customers in 2028 after construction and testing. The arrays are planned in the towns of La Prairie and Harmony and will come with new substations and a short generator tie line to hook into the transmission grid, as reported by We Energies News.
The Public Service Commission’s approval of the purchase was announced by the company, according to We Energies News. Mike Hooper, president, We Energies, called the decision "another key step in executing our 'all the above' energy strategy" and said the project is expected to cut fuel costs and tap federal tax credits to help keep customer bills in check.
Project details and footprint
As outlined by the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin, Dawn Harvest is proposed on roughly 1,012 acres in the towns of La Prairie and Harmony, with about 927 acres set aside for solar arrays. The Commission’s docket describes about 25 miles of underground 34.5 kV collector circuits, a 138 kV project substation and an approximately one-mile 138 kV gen-tie to connect the site to the regional transmission system. The facility combines 150 MWac of solar capacity with a 50 MW/200 MWh battery energy storage system intended to shift daytime generation into evening demand when customers typically use more power.
Ownership and timeline
We Energies will hold the largest share of the project, with Wisconsin Public Service and Madison Gas & Electric participating as co-owners, according to We Energies News. Invenergy is developing the facility and has said the center will support construction jobs and local economic activity, with more detail available on the developer’s project page. Under the ownership breakdown announced to regulators, We Energies would take 120 MW of the solar capacity along with the full 50 MW battery system, while WPS and MGE would each own 15 MW of solar. The companies expect the project to begin serving customers in 2028, following construction and system testing.
Why this matters for customers
The Dawn Harvest approval lands in the middle of a broader sprint by utilities to add renewable energy and storage ahead of expected load growth, including demand from planned data centers across southeastern Wisconsin. Wisconsin Public Radio has reported that We Energies is seeking many gigawatts of new capacity and that consumer advocates warn large build-outs can pose risks for ratepayers if projects are oversized or if costs are shifted. We Energies argues Dawn Harvest will bolster reliability, trim fuel spending and capture tax incentives, while the ultimate effect on customer rates will come into sharper focus as construction moves ahead and the PSC continues its oversight.
