[image-caption title="Dairyland%20Power%20has%20acquired%20two%20natural%20gas%20plants%20in%20Illinois%20to%20support%20grid%20reliability%20and%20serve%20its%20power%20supply%20customers%2C%20which%20will%20expand%20to%20Newton%2C%20Illinois-based%20Norris%20Electric%20Cooperative%20and%20Oconto%20Falls%2C%20Wisconsin-based%20Oconto%20Electric%20Cooperative%20next%20June.%20The%20G%26T%20continues%20to%20invest%20in%20transmission%20projects%20to%20serve%20its%20growing%20territory.%20(Photo%20Courtesy%3A%20Dairyland%20Power)%20%20" description="%20" image="%2Fnews%2FPublishingImages%2F2025%20Dairyland%20Power%20Linework%200037.jpg" /]
Dairyland Power Cooperative is diversifying its energy portfolio and expanding its footprint with the acquisition of two gas-fired power plants in Illinois and adding two distribution cooperatives as power supply customers.
The La Crosse, Wisconsin-based generation and transmission co-op recently completed the purchase of the 483-megawatt Elgin Energy Center in Elgin and the 334-MW Rocky Road gas plant in East Dundee.
“These strategic investments are essential to position Dairyland to meet the growing resource adequacy and reliability needs of rural communities,” said Brent Ridge, Dairyland president and CEO. “As we continue to develop a balanced, diversified energy portfolio to support increased demand across our service territory, these facilities will play a critical role in providing the flexible, dependable energy our members rely on every day.”
Dairyland Power will boost its load by more than 100 MW when it begins serving Newton, Illinois-based Norris Electric Cooperative and Oconto Falls, Wisconsin-based Oconto Electric Cooperative on June 1, 2026. The G&T serves 24 member distribution co-ops in four states, including Elizabeth, Illinois-based JCE Co-op and 27 municipal utilities.
The addition of these gas units to its portfolio is key to Dairyland’s plans for greater reliability, affordability and sustainability for all its members, said Katie Thomson, director of communications, member services and stakeholder engagement at the G&T.
“Owning these assets will result in downward pressure on rates for our members because we are diversifying our generation portfolio,” she said. “It will also stabilize regional capacity and energy prices by retaining assets that support the power grid in the Midwest.”
“Dairyland Power Cooperative is strengthening its reliability and sustainability for rural communities through strategic investments,” said Dan Walsh, NRECA’s senior power supply and generation director. “Dairyland’s recent acquisition of two natural gas facilities ensures dependable energy to meet growing demand for a more resilient grid.”
