MGE ENERGY INC Fair Value Disclosure

Fair value is defined as the price that would be received to sell an asset or would be paid to transfer a liability (an exit price) in the principal or most advantageous market for the asset or liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. The accounting standard clarifies that fair value should be based on the assumptions market participants would use when pricing the asset or liability including assumptions about risk. The standard also establishes a

three-level fair value hierarchy based upon the observability of the assumptions used and requires the use of observable market data when available. The levels are:

Level 1 - Pricing inputs are quoted prices within active markets for identical assets or liabilities.

Level 2 - Pricing inputs are quoted prices within active markets for similar assets or liabilities; quoted prices for identical or similar instruments in markets that are not active; and model-derived valuations that are correlated with or otherwise verifiable by observable market data.

Level 3 - Pricing inputs are unobservable and reflect management's best estimate of what market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability.

The following table presents the balances of assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis for both MGE and MGE Energy.

Deferred Compensation. The deferred compensation plans allow participants to defer certain cash compensation into notional investment accounts. These amounts are included within "Other deferred liabilities and other" in the consolidated balance sheets. The value of certain deferred compensation obligations is based on the market value of the participants' notional investment accounts. The underlying notional investments are comprised primarily of equities,

mutual funds, and fixed income securities that are based on directly and indirectly observable market prices. Since the deferred compensation obligations themselves are not exchanged in an active market, they are classified as Level 2.

The value of legacy deferred compensation obligations is based on notional investments that earn interest based upon the semiannual rate of U.S. Treasury Bills having a 26-week maturity increased by 1% compounded monthly with a minimum annual rate of 7%, compounded monthly. The notional investments are based upon observable market data, however, since the deferred compensation obligations themselves are not exchanged in an active market, they are classified as Level 2.

Derivatives. Derivatives include exchange-traded derivative contracts, over-the-counter transactions, and FTRs. Most exchange-traded derivative contracts are valued based on unadjusted quoted prices in active markets and are therefore classified as Level 1. A small number of exchange-traded derivative contracts are valued using quoted market pricing in markets with insufficient volumes and are therefore considered unobservable and classified as Level 3. Transactions done with an over-the-counter party are on inactive markets and are therefore classified as Level 3. These transactions are valued based on quoted prices from markets with similar exchange-traded transactions. FTRs are priced based upon monthly auction results for identical or similar instruments in a closed market with limited data available and are therefore classified as Level 3.

The following table summarizes the changes in Level 3 commodity derivative assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis.

The following table presents total realized and unrealized losses included in income for Level 3 assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis(b).