James L. Possin has been elected to the Board of Directors of Madison Gas & Electric Co. and MGE Energy Inc. effective immediately. Possin is a certified public accountant. He was a partner with Grant Thornton LLP from 1990 to 2007 and currently is a tax consultant with James L. Possin CPA, LLC. Possin holds degrees in accounting and law from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

MGE Energy Inc. reported unaudited earnings results for the third quarter and nine months ended September 30, 2009. For the quarter, the company reported earnings were $12.7 million or 55 cents basic and diluted per share on operating revenues of $109.3 million compared to a net income of $17.3 million or 78 cents basic and diluted per share on operating revenues of $125.8 million for the same period in the prior year. Operating income was $21.1 million against $25.3 million for the same quarter a year ago period. For the nine-month period, the company reported net income was $37.5 million or $1.63 basic and diluted per share on operating revenues of $397.9 million against net income of $41.7 million or $1.89 basic and diluted per share on operating revenues of $440.5 million for the same period a year ago. Operating income was $62.1 million against $67.8 million for the same period a year ago.

Families of three Madison residents electrocuted by a downed power line at a flooded bus stop in 2007 are suing the power company for negligence. The power line was carrying more than 4,000 volts Aug. 22, 2007, when Lakisha Dancy, 28, tried to board a bus while holding her 2-year-old daughter. They were electrocuted. When Demetrius Dobbs, 22, went to help, he also was killed. Dobbs' mother, Eileen Stephens, of Posen, Ill., filed a wrongful death lawsuit last week against MGE Energy Inc. Another lawsuit has been filed on behalf of Dancy's three surviving children.