WEC Boosts Capital Plan, Confirms No More Coal After 2032

Written by John Egan for Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--Like many of its electric utility brethren, WEC Energy Group Incorporated (Milwaukee, Wisconsin) is increasing its capital program to meet the anticipated surge in electric demand from data centers, advanced manufacturing and the artificial intelligence (AI) industry. However, unlike many of its peer electric utilities, WEC, a holding company with several Midwestern operating electric and gas utilities, is not backing away from a years-long commitment to cease using coal by yearend 2032. It plans to meet future electric demand from large loads customers by constructing renewable generation and battery energy storage systems (BESS), as well as adding some gas-fired generation, company officials said in an investor update last month.