Massive Solar-Battery Park Powers 130,000 Wisconsin Homes

Kenosha County, Wisconsin – September 23, 2025 – In a significant advancement for sustainable energy in the Midwest, the Paris Solar-Battery Park has emerged as Wisconsin’s pioneering large-scale solar and battery storage project, now fully operational and delivering reliable power to thousands of homes. Located in the Town of Paris in Kenosha County, this ambitious facility combines cutting-edge solar technology with advanced energy storage to address the intermittency challenges of renewable sources, ensuring electricity availability around the clock.

Aerial view of the Paris Solar-Battery Park showing rows of battery storage containers in a large, open area, with farmland in the background. — *Source: We Energies*

The project, spanning approximately 1,500 acres of leased land, boasts a 200-megawatt (MW) solar array equipped with nearly 500,000 photovoltaic panels that track the sun’s movement to optimize energy capture. This solar component, which began generating power in December 2024, can produce enough electricity annually to supply about 55,000 homes. Complementing the solar farm is a 110 MW battery energy storage system (BESS), Wisconsin’s first of its scale, consisting of 12,000 lithium-ion batteries housed in 150 containers. These batteries, each roughly 33-by-11 inches, can store excess solar energy and discharge it during evenings, cloudy weather, or peak demand periods, powering more than 130,000 homes for up to four hours. The system takes four to five hours to charge fully and has an expected lifespan of about 20 years, with plans to cycle the batteries multiple times weekly.

Map of the Paris Solar Project in Kenosha County, Wisconsin, showing the project boundary, municipalities, and major roads. — *Source: Invenergy*

Map showing the proposed layout of the Paris Solar-Battery Park, highlighting transmission lines, battery storage locations, and various facility arrays.

Developed by Invenergy, North America’s largest privately held clean energy company, the Paris Solar-Battery Park was initially proposed with a 200 MW solar capacity and 60 MW of battery storage, as approved by the Wisconsin Public Service Commission in early 2022. Construction began in July 2021, with the solar portion completing ahead of the originally projected May 2023 timeline, while the battery system came online in mid-2025 at an expanded 110 MW capacity. The battery component alone cost approximately $223 million. Ownership is shared among major utilities: We Energies holds the majority stake, with co-owners Wisconsin Public Service and Madison Gas and Electric (MGE), the latter owning 20 MW of solar and 11 MW of battery storage.

Beyond technical specifications, the park delivers substantial economic and environmental benefits. During peak construction, it employed up to 300 workers, and now supports up to four permanent operations and maintenance staff. It injects over $3 million annually into the local economy through taxes, landowner payments, wages, and benefits. For customers, the project promises cost savings, with We Energies anticipating both immediate and long-term reductions in rates, potentially lowering electric bills by 5 to 20 percent, aided by federal tax credits. Environmentally, it advances Wisconsin’s shift toward cleaner energy, reducing reliance on fossil fuels and supporting MGE’s goal of cutting carbon emissions by at least 80% by 2030—MGE reports being halfway there already. By storing “sunshine after sunset,” the facility enhances grid resilience, minimizes outages, and contributes to improved air quality.

Aerial view of the Paris Solar-Battery Park, featuring rows of solar panels in the foreground and a large battery storage facility in the background. — *Source: We Energies*

Mike Hooper, president of We Energies, emphasized the project’s role in providing reliable, affordable energy through an “all-of-the-above” strategy, regardless of weather or time of day. As Wisconsin continues to expand its renewable portfolio, with We Energies pursuing additional battery projects, the Paris Solar-Battery Park stands as a model for integrating solar power with storage technology, paving the way for a more sustainable future in the state and beyond.

Sources

Madison Gas and Electric. 2025. MGE’s First Large-Scale Battery Storage to Come Online. <https://www.mge.com/mge-2050/cleaner-energy/first-large-scale-battery-storage-to-come-online>. 27 February.

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. 2025. Wisconsin’s first large-scale energy storage project is up and running. <https://www.jsonline.com/story/money/business/energy/2025/06/03/wisconsins-first-large-scale-energy-storage-system-has-12000-batteries/83997871007/>. 03 June.

We Energies. 2025. Wisconsin’s first large scale energy storage project now serving customers. <https://news.we-energies.com/wisconsins-first-large-scale-energy-storage-project-now-serving-customers/>. 03 June.