Construction of US$370 million natural gas facilities in Wisconsin is set to begin soon after receiving approval from the state. The Wisconsin Public Service Commission authorized the project despite Sierra Club’s concerns that the additional storage facilities and pipelines will undermine Gov. Tony Evers’ objective of minimizing the consequences of climate change. We Energies believes that in order to fulfill demand from the state’s southeast quadrant, it will need to build two additional liquid natural gas storage facilities between Ixonia and Whitewater at a cost of $185 million each.
Details on the Wisconsin Natural Gas facilities
The project includes two storage facilities in Ixonia and Bluff Creek where natural gas would be cooled to minus-260 degrees Fahrenheit to minimize volume. Each system would store a billion cubic feet of gas for high-demand periods when it would be heated and vaporized.
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The project would entail a significant investment in new fossil fuel infrastructure at a time when experts have warned that the world must shift to renewable energy or risk catastrophic climate repercussions. While the Act provides several incentives to encourage a speedier transition to green energy sources, it has few measures to penalize the development of new fossil fuel infrastructure. The president has pledged to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the United States by half by 2030.
According to We Energies and Wisconsin Gas, the twin facilities in Jefferson and Walworth counties are required to boost dependability and resilience in light of expected demand growth. They think it will cost at least $224 million less than the alternatives. Compliance with the Paris climate accord, an endeavor to avert the most catastrophic effects of climate change, will need a reduction in gas consumption, and the groups point out that Gov. Tony Evers’ climate task team advised against building any new fossil fuel infrastructure. Commissioners mainly rejected those arguments, viewing their role as guaranteeing safe, dependable, and economical electric service.
