Electricity 101 FAQ

Wisconsin’s grid is operated by MISO, which balances electricity supply and demand across a multi-state region in real time. MISO coordinates utilities and transmission infrastructure to maintain reliability and manage long-term planning needs.

In 2024, natural gas produced about 40% of Wisconsin’s electricity, coal 32%, nuclear 15%, and renewable resources (solar, wind, hydro) 12%. In recent years the proportion of coal has fallen, while wind and solar generation have grown. Wisconsin currently consumes more energy than it produces and spends billions annually importing fossil fuels.

Electricity generated by any type of power plant enters the grid.  It becomes part of MISO’s overall supply that serves homes and businesses across 15 states.  Managing base loads and peak demand means that, depending on the grid’s supply and demand at a given moment, your electricity might come from the closest source or a plant hundreds of miles away.

In 2023 Wisconsin spent over $19 billion importing fossil fuels, including more than $1.2 billion on coal and natural gas for electricity generation. Large-scale wind and solar can help meet in-state electricity needs and reduce reliance on imported fuels.

Large-scale solar alone won’t result in fewer outages because solar power depends on sunlight.  However, if solar (or wind) projects are combined with battery energy storage systems (BESS), they can improve resilience by providing immediate additional backup power during grid disturbances.

A large-scale project does not change local electricity costs.  The power generated is sold into the regional electrical grid.  However, from a supply and demand perspective, having more electricity supplied to the grid from low-cost sources such as solar, wind, and natural gas will keep prices lower than if additional energy is not added to the supply or if high-cost sources are used.