Madison Gas and Electric Co. filed an application with Wisconsin state regulators seeking approval to build a 9-MW solar array near the Dane County Regional Airport.

The $16 million project will consist of 31,000 solar panels and will span 58 acres north of the airport. It will be built under the company's renewable energy rider.

The MGE Energy Inc. subsidiary will lease the land from Dane County and will build and own the facility to sell the output to the county.

Construction is scheduled for 2020, and the project is expected to start producing power by the end of the same year.