Invenergy received unanimous conditional approval from the State Public Service Commission (PSC) to build a 1,210 MW gas turbine power plant in the Village of Somers at their meeting Oct. 15.

The 3-0 vote granted the project a certificate of public convenience and necessity, subject to conditions including safety and reporting requirements. No local approval were required.

The decision clears a key regulatory hurdle for Chicago-based Invenergy, which plans to build the Red Oak Ridge Energy Center on about 64 acres of land to be annexed from the Town of Paris.

Five turbines rated at about 242 megawatts each would anchor the plant, which would rank as Wisconsin’s second-largest by electricity generation capacity amongv29 natural gas plants, according to University of Wisconsin researchers cited in the statement. Construction could begin in 2027, with commercial operations starting as soon as late in 2029.

Wisconsin Electric Power Co., We Energies’ operating arm, is separately seeking to acquire the project. The utility has estimated the cost at about $1.77 billion. The facility is designed as a “peaker plant,” and would operate only when demand is high.

Department of Natural Resources. State regulators recommended no additional air quality mitigation beyond measures Invenergy is already required to take by law.

Invenergy developer Daniel Birmingham has described Red Oak Ridge as an “essential power backstop with electricity demand in Wisconsin projected to rise 40 percent in the next 6 years.” He said the project would help stabilize costs during peak demand and bring “good-paying jobs” and revenue for local services.

Construction would employ about 495 workers at peak, and the plant would have up to eight permanent jobs.

Additional information is available below or at the project page. Invenergy hosts office hours on the 2nd and 4th Thursday of every month from 3:30 – 5:30 p.m. at the Johnson Bank Building, 2nd floor, 7500 Green Bay, Rd, Kenosha, WI, 53142. No appointments necessary. They can also be reached at: redoakridge@invenergy.com.