We Energies has filed plans with the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (PSCW) to add nearly 3 gigawatts of new power capacity, combining large-scale solar, battery storage, and modern natural gas facilities to meet growing energy demand and support economic growth across the state.
The new projects, all located in Wisconsin, aim to strengthen grid reliability while supporting the expansion of data centers and manufacturing facilities that have accelerated statewide electricity use.
“These new power plants reflect our commitment to reliability, economic growth, and putting our customers first,” said Mike Hooper, president of We Energies. “The addition of new power generation projects will energize Wisconsin’s workforce and create thousands of construction jobs and hundreds of full-time high-tech and energy careers.”
The filing outlines plans for seven new solar projects, one large-scale battery storage facility, and two natural gas plants, representing a total of nearly 3,000 megawatts of new capacity. The mix of renewable and dispatchable resources is intended to keep power affordable and reliable as electricity demand climbs.
The renewable facilities will deliver clean energy daily, while the natural gas plants will serve as peaking units—running when needed to ensure steady service during high-demand periods or low renewable output.
We Energies expects the solar and battery storage projects to qualify for federal clean energy tax credits under the Inflation Reduction Act, reducing overall costs for customers.
To safeguard ratepayers, We Energies included a customer protection plan ensuring that large data centers pay the full cost of infrastructure and electricity they consume.
“Under our customer protection plan, we’re making sure costs to serve new data centers are not shifted to other customers,” Hooper said.
This model has drawn attention from regulators in other states facing similar growth pressures, where residential and small business customers have expressed concern about subsidizing corporate energy use.
If approved, the new generation would represent one of the most significant capacity increases in Wisconsin’s history, expanding available power by about 20%.
The projects are expected to create thousands of temporary construction jobs and hundreds of permanent energy and technology positions once operational. They also build on We Energies’ ongoing modernization work to replace aging infrastructure and improve system resilience amid more frequent extreme weather.
Environmental advocates have offered cautious praise for the inclusion of renewables but raised questions about the continued reliance on natural gas. Groups such as the Sierra Club Wisconsin Chapter and the Environmental Law & Policy Center (ELPC) have previously urged the state to avoid new fossil fuel investments, warning that additional gas capacity could lock in decades of emissions.
Supporters argue the hybrid approach is pragmatic. “The reality is that reliability has to come first,” said Tom Content, executive director of the Citizens Utility Board of Wisconsin, in an earlier PSC proceeding on grid modernization. “The challenge is scaling clean energy without compromising affordability or system stability.”
The PSCW will review the plan over the coming months, examining its cost impacts, environmental compliance, and consistency with state energy policies that encourage renewables and grid modernization.
If approved, construction could begin as early as 2026, with the first projects expected online by 2028.
