MGE ENERGY INC

nsation - MGE Energy and MGE.

In 2020, MGE Energy shareholders approved the 2021 Long-Term Incentive Plan (the 2021 Incentive Plan). It provides for the issuance of up to 500,000 shares of MGE Energy common stock in connection with awards made under the 2021 Incentive Plan. The 2021 Incentive Plan authorizes awards of restricted stock, restricted stock units, performance units, and dividend equivalents, or any combination of the foregoing for eligible employees and non-employee directors. The 2020 Performance Unit Plan (the 2020 Plan) was adopted in February 2020 for eligible employees. Plan participants may receive awards of performance units, restricted units, or both. Prior to the adoption of the 2020 plan, eligible employees could receive awards of performance units under the 2006 Performance Unit Plan. Under the 2013 Director Incentive Plan, eligible non-employee directors could receive awards of performance units. For the years ended December 31,2023, 2022, and 2021, MGE recorded $2.7 million, $1.3 million, and $2.9 million, respectively, related to share-based compensation awards under the 2006 Performance Unit Plan, the 2020 Performance Unit Plan, the 2013 Director Incentive Plan, and the 2021 Incentive Plan in "Other operations and maintenance" on the consolidated statements of income.

2013 Director Incentive Plan and 2006 Performance Unit Plan - Liability Awards -Under the 2013 Director Incentive Plan and 2006 Performance Unit Plan, non-employee directors and eligible employees, respectively, could receive performance units that entitled the holder to receive a cash payment equal to the value of a designated number of shares of MGE Energy's common stock, plus dividend equivalent payments thereon, at the end of the performance period set in the award. In accordance with the plans' provisions. These awards are subject to prescribed vesting schedules and must be settled in cash. Accordingly, no shares of common stock will be issued in connection with those plans.

On the grant date, the cost of the director or employee services received in exchange for a performance unit award is measured based on the current market value of MGE Energy common stock. The fair value of the awards is remeasured quarterly, including as of December 31, 2023, as required by applicable accounting standards. Changes in fair value as well as the original grant are recognized as compensation cost. Since this amount is remeasured throughout the vesting period, the compensation cost is subject to variability. For nonretirement eligible employees under the 2006 Performance Unit Plan, stock-based compensation costs are accrued and recognized using the graded vesting method. Compensation cost for retirement eligible employees or employees that will become retirement eligible during the vesting schedule are recognized on an abridged horizon as retirement eligibility accelerates vesting.

Payouts under the 2013 Director Incentive Plan are subject to athree-year vesting schedule. Payouts under the 2006 Performance Unit Plan are subject to afive-year vesting schedule. The following activity occurred:

No cash settlements have occurred on the awards shown in the table above as cash payments are only made at the end of the period covered by the awards. In the first quarter of 2023, cash payments of $1.8 million were distributed relating to awards that were granted under the plans in 2020, for the 2013 Director Incentive Plan, and in 2018, for the 2006 Performance Unit Plan.

Restricted Stock Units - Equity Awards - Payouts of restricted stock units under the 2021 Incentive Plan are based on the expiration of athree-year time-vesting period. Restricted stock units granted are to be paid out in shares of MGE Energy common stock and are accounted for as equity awards. The fair value of each restricted stock unit granted is based on the closing market price of one share of MGE Energy common stock on the grant date of the award. Compensation expense is recorded ratably over the performance period based on the fair value of the awards on the grant date. The following activity occurred:

(a)

Represents restricted stock units that vested but were not distributed to retirement-eligible employees.

Restricted Stock Units - Liability Awards - Payouts of restricted stock units granted prior to 2021 are based on the expiration of athree-year time-vesting period and will be paid out in cash and accounted for as a liability award. Compensation expense is recorded ratably over the performance period based on the fair value of the awards at each reporting period. The following activity occurred:

(b)

Represents restricted stock units that vested but were not distributed to retirement-eligible employees.

In the first quarter of 2023, cash payments of $0.7 million were distributed relating to awards that were granted under the plans in 2020, for the 2020 Plan.

Performance Units - Liability Awards - Performance units under the 2020 Plan entitle the holder to receive a cash payment equal to the value of a designated number of shares of MGE Energy's common stock, plus dividend-equivalent payments thereon. Performance units under the 2021 Incentive Plan can be paid out in shares of MGE Energy common stock, cash or a combination of cash and stock. MGE assumes it will make future payouts of its performance units granted in cash; therefore, these performance units are accounted for as liability awards. Compensation expense for these performance units is recorded ratably over the performance period based on the fair value of the awards at each reporting period. The payout is based upon achievement of specified performance goals during a performance period set by the Compensation Committee of MGE Energy's Board of Directors. Awards are subject to vesting provisions providing for 100% vesting at the end of the performance period. Compensation cost for retirement eligible employees or employees that will become retirement eligible during the vesting schedule are recognized on an abridged horizon as retirement eligibility accelerates vesting.

The performance units contain market and performance conditions. The market condition is based on total shareowner return relative to an investor-owned utility peer group. The performance condition is based on achievement of targets specified in the award agreement (such as an earnings growth target). The fair value of each performance unit is based on the fair value of the underlying common stock on the grant date and the probability of satisfying the market and performance conditions contained in the award agreement during thethree-year performance period. The actual payments upon vesting depends upon actual performance and may range from zero to 200% of the granted number of performance units. The following activity occurred:

(c)

Represents performance units that vested but were not distributed to retirement-eligible employees.

Awards granted in 2020, for the 2020 plan, vested at 146% with a $1.1 million cash payment distribution during the first quarter of 2023.

Notes Payable to Ban

ks, Commercial Paper, and Lines of Credit - MGE Energy and MGE.

Information regarding lines of credit and short-term borrowings is shown below:

(a)

MGE Energy short-term borrowings include MGE Energy and MGE lines of credit and MGE commercial paper.

(b)

As of December 31,2023, MGE Energy and MGE hadno borrowings outstanding under these credit facilities and were in compliance with the covenant requirements of the credit agreements.

(c)

A change in control constitutes a default under the agreement. Change in control events are defined as (i) a failure by MGE Energy to hold 100% of the outstanding voting equity interest in MGE or (ii) the acquisition of beneficial ownership of 30% or more of the outstanding voting stock of MGE Energy by one person or two or more persons acting in concert.

(d)

Theratio calculation excludes assets, liabilities, revenues, and expenses included in MGE's financial statements as the result of the consolidation of VIEs, such as MGE Power West Campus and MGE Power Elm Road. A change in control constitutes a default under the agreements. Change in control events are defined as (i) a failure by MGE Energy to hold 100% of the outstanding voting equity interest in MGE or (ii) the acquisition of beneficial ownership of 30% or more of the outstanding voting stock of MGE Energy by one person or two or more persons acting in concert.

Long-Term Debt - MGE Energy and MGE.

a.

Long-Term Debt.

(a)

MGE's utility plant is subject to the lien of its Indenture of Mortgage and Deed of Trust, under which its first mortgage bonds are issued. The Mortgage Indenture provides that dividends or any other distribution or purchase of MGE shares may not be made if the aggregate amount thereof since December 31, 1945, would exceed the earned surplus (retained earnings) accumulated subsequent to December 31, 1945. As of December 31,2023, approximately $699.6 million was available for the payment of dividends under this covenant.

(b)

In March 2023, $19.3 million of City of Madison, Wisconsin Industrial Development Revenue Refunding Bonds (Madison Gas and Electric Company Project), Series 2020A were remarketed. The remarketed Series 2020A Bonds will not be subject to further remarketing or optional redemption prior to their maturity.

(c)

The indenture under which MGE's Medium-Term notes are issued provides that those notes will be entitled to be equally and ratably secured in the event that MGE issues any additional first mortgage bonds.

(d)

Unsecured notes issued pursuant to various Note Purchase Agreements with one or more purchasers. The notes are not issued under, or governed by, MGE's Indenture dated as of September 1, 1998, which governs MGE's Medium-Term Notes.

(e)

Issuedby MGE. Under that Note Purchase Agreement: (i) note holders have the right to require MGE to repurchase their notes at par in the event of an acquisition of beneficial ownership of 30% or more of the outstanding voting stock of MGE

Energy,(ii) MGE must maintain a ratio of its consolidated indebtedness to consolidated total capitalization not to exceed a maximum of 65%, and (iii) MGE cannot issue "Priority Debt" in an amount exceeding 20% of its consolidated assets. Priority Debt is defined as any indebtedness of MGE secured by liens other than specified liens permitted by the Note Purchase Agreement and certain unsecured indebtedness of certain subsidiaries. As of December 31, 2023, MGE was in compliance with the covenant requirements.

(f)

In November 2022, MGE entered into a private placement Note Purchase Agreement in which it committed to issue $25 million of new long-term debt (Series A), $15 million of new long-term debt (Series B), carrying an interest rate of 5.43% per annum over its 10-year life, and $35 million of new long-term debt (Series C), carrying an interest rate of 5.53% per annum over its 12-year life. Funding occurred on December 1, 2022, for Series A and occurred on February 28, 2023, for Series B and Series C. The proceeds of the debt financing were used to assist with capital expenditures and other corporate obligations.

(g)

Issued by MGE Power West Campus. The Note Purchase Agreements require MGE Power West Campus to maintain a projected debt service coverage ratio of not less than 1.25 to 1.00, and debt to total capitalization ratio of not more than 0.65 to 1.00. The notes are secured by a collateral assignment of lease payments that MGE is making to MGE Power West Campus for use of the WCCF pursuant to a long-term lease. As of December 31,2023, MGE Power West Campus was in compliance with the covenant requirements.

(h)

In August 2023, MGE entered into a private placement Note Purchase Agreement in which it committed to issue $40 million of new long-term debt (Series A), carrying an interest rate of 5.61% per annum over its 11-year life, and $30 million of new long-term debt (Series B), carrying an interest rate of 5.91% per annum over its 30-year life. Funding occurred on September 13, 2023, for Series A and funding for Series B occurred on December 1, 2023. The proceeds of the debt financing were used to repay at maturity $30 million long-term debt due September 15, 2023, and will assist with capital expenditures and other corporate obligations. The covenants of this debt are substantially consistent with MGE's existing unsecured senior notes.

(i)

Issued by MGE Power Elm Road. The Note Purchase Agreement requires MGE Power Elm Road to maintain a projected and actual debt service coverage ratio at the end of any calendar quarter of not less than 1.25 to 1.00 for the trailing 12-month period. The notes are secured by a collateral assignment of lease payments that MGE is making to MGE Power Elm Road for use of the Elm Road Units pursuant to long-term leases. As of December 31,2023, MGE Power Elm Road was in compliance with the covenant requirements.

b.

Long-Term Debt Maturities.

Below is MGE Energy's and MGE's aggregate maturities for all long-term debt for years following December 31, 2023.

MGE includes long-term debt held by MGE Power Elm Road and MGE Power West Campus in the consolidated financial statements (see Footnote 3 for further information regarding these VIEs).

Common Equity.

a.

Common Stock - MGE Energy and MGE.

MGE Energy sells shares of its common stock through its Direct Stock Purchase and Dividend Reinvestment Plan (the Stock Plan). Those shares may be newly issued shares or shares that are purchased in the open market by an independent agent for participants in the Stock Plan. Sales of newly issued shares under the Stock Plan are covered by a shelf registration statement that MGE Energy filed with the SEC. For the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, MGE Energy issuedno new shares of common stock under the Stock Plan.

For the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, MGE Energy paid $60.4 million (or $1.67 per share) and $57.5 million (or $1.59 per share), respectively, in cash dividends on its common stock. Dividend payments by MGE to MGE Energy are subject to restrictions arising under a PSCW rate order and, to a lesser degree, MGE's first mortgage bonds. The PSCW order restricts any dividends, above the PSCW authorized amount that MGE may pay MGE Energy if MGE's common equity ratio, calculated in the manner used in the rate proceeding, is less than 55%. This restriction did not restrict MGE's payment of dividends in 2023. See Footnote 14 for further discussion of the mortgage indenture covenants regarding the payment of dividends. For the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, MGE paid $41.0 million and $33.5 million, respectively, in cash dividends to MGE Energy.

b.

Dilutive Shares Calculation - MGE Energy.

As of December 31, 2023,23,125 shares were included in the calculation of diluted earnings per share related to nonvested equity awards. See Footnote 12 for additional information on shared-based compensation awards.

Commitments and Contin