Massive solar energy project expands in Dane County amid community concerns

MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) - A massive solar energy project is expanding in Dane County, receiving mixed feedback from some community members in the Town of Christiana.

The Koshkonong Solar Project first came to Dane County in 2019.

People who live in the area claimed there was little public information on the project. Invenergy went to the Wisconsin Public Service Commission in 2021 and got approval to put solar panels on farm land, completing phase one in Cambridge. Phase two is happening in the Town of Christiana.

People who live there weren’t happy about it, with some pointing to the fear of home values dropping. Phase two would cover more than a third of the township.

“I think that it’s time to go somewhere else,” said Town of Christiana Supervisor Dawn Redford. “We really need to preserve what we have left. And if the farmers that are putting their land into those projects, need the financial support, there’s programs out there that they can do. Or if they don’t want to farm the land anymore, then there’s ways to rent it, to lease it, to sell it.”

Invenergy said the project means nearly $280 million in total investment, up to 600 construction jobs at its peak and $1.5 million a year going back to the communities hosting the project.

“The huge benefit of solar projects in Wisconsin is that they have a shared revenue program. So this project is gonna give over $700,000 every year to the county and township,” explained Sam Heageney, the manager of development at Invenergy.

Invenergy is expected to submit is phase two application by the end of the summer, with construction starting as early as spring 2027.

The conversation is happening across Dane County. Earlier Wednesday, the towns of Dunkirk and Porter held their own meeting on a proposed solar project in their communities. They weighed road impacts, what other towns have gone through and what the planning process should look like going forward.

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