A plan to build a plant in southern Wisconsin that would store liquefied natural gas is moving forward, according to documents filed with the Town of Ixonia Plan Commission. We Energies and Wisconsin Gas are seeking approval to build the plant on 164 acres in the town near Hill and North roads. The planned permanent facilities on the Ixonia property would cover 27 acres, according to We Energies. 

The two utilities, which have 1.1 million customers, have proposed building liquefied natural gas storage plants in Jefferson County and in Bluff Creek in Walworth County. The two plants are projected to cost a total of $370 million and would store natural gas at temperatures of 260 degrees below zero.

We Energies and Wisconsin Gas filed more specific information on the proposed plants with the Public Service Commission in June. The utilities also will need approval from the Department of Natural Resources as well as Walworth and Jefferson counties. Liquefied natural gas has about 1/600th of the volume of natural gas burned in a home. Each plant would have the capacity to store 1 billion cubic feet of natural gas.

The two plants would enable We Energies and Wisconsin Gas to store natural gas during the summer months, when demand and prices are the lowest, to use during the winter months, when demand and prices are the highest. The two utilities which are part of WEC Energy Group, estimate that the plants will save customers more than $200 million over 30 years.