The West Riverside Energy Center is an advanced technology, highly efficient natural gas facility. It improves reliability and meets long-term customer energy needs.
- Location: near Beloit, Wis.
- Began operations in: 2020
- Provides clean energy for: 550,000 homes
- Capacity: 730 megawatts
- Investment: $670 million
- During construction: More than 1,000 jobs were created and millions of dollars were spent to support Wisconsin businesses.
Environmental impact and sustainability
Compared to traditional coal-fired facilities, the West Riverside Energy Center emits
- Less than half the carbon dioxide (CO2)
- About two-thirds less nitrogen
- 99% less sulfur and mercury
An integrated solar facility was also part of the project. Solar energy offsets the facility's auxiliary power needs.
The West Riverside Energy Center replaced power from the retirements of older, smaller and less efficient coal-fired and peaking units. It also complements our growing investments in clean energy. Its technology allows it to adjust up and down quickly to ensure reliability when the wind isn’t blowing and the sun isn’t shining.
Economic benefits
Local governments will receive more than $3 million annually in shared revenues via state payments from West Riverside. The town of Beloit will receive more than $1 million in added revenue from the facility.
Awards and recognitions
- The Envision Platinum award for sustainable infrastructure, the highest attainable Envision recognition level.
- The 2022 Outstanding Civil Engineering Achievement Bronze Award from the American Society of Civil Engineers.
- The 2021 Grand Award for Engineering Excellence from the American Council of Engineering Companies of Wisconsin.
- The 2021 POWER Top Plant Award from POWER magazine.
- A 2019 Recycling Excellence Award from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.