LEASES

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2024

In June 2024, UMERC entered into an agreement to acquire and construct Renegade, a utility-scale solar-powered electric generating facility in Delta and Marquette counties, Michigan. Commercial operation of the project is targeted at the end of 2026. Related to its investment in Renegade, UMERC entered into several land leases that commenced in the second quarter of 2024.

In July 2024, WE and WPS partnered with an unaffiliated utility to acquire and construct Koshkonong, a utility-scale solar-powered electric generating facility located in Dane County, Wisconsin. Commercial operation of the project is targeted at the end of 2026. Related to their investment in Koshkonong, WE and WPS, along with their unaffiliated utility partner, entered into several land leases that commenced in the third quarter of 2024.

The land leases entered into related to the Renegade and Koshkonong generating facilities each have an initial construction term that ends upon achieving commercial operation, then automatically extends for 25 years with an option for an additional 25-year extension. We expect the optional extension to be exercised, and, as a result, these land leases are being amortized over the extended term of the leases. Once Renegade and Koshkonong achieve commercial operation, the lease liabilities will be remeasured to reflect the final total acres being leased. We expect to recover the lease payments through rates. Our total obligation under these land-related finance leases was $120.0 million at September 30, 2024, and was included in long-term debt on our balance sheet. Our finance lease right of use assets were $119.0 million as of September 30, 2024, and were included in property, plant, and equipment on our balance sheet. Our weighted-average discount rate for these land-related finance leases was 6.02%. We used an estimate of the fully collateralized incremental borrowing rate based upon information available for similarly rated companies in determining the present value of lease payments.

Future minimum lease payments and the corresponding present value of our net minimum lease payments under these land-related finance leases as of September 30, 2024, were as follows:


(in millions)
Three Months Ended December 31, 2024	$	—
2025	2.1
2026	2.3
2027	6.2
2028	6.3
2029	6.4
Thereafter	500.6
Total minimum lease payments	523.9
Less: Interest	(403.9)
Present value of minimum lease payments	120.0
Less: Short-term lease liabilities	—
Long-term lease liabilities	$	120.0