WEC Energy Group’s (WEC) newly released 2024 Corporate Responsibility Report outlines a $28 billion capital plan aimed at expanding renewable generation, modernizing the grid, and eliminating coal by 2032. Recent project wins and federal partnerships show those ambitions are already translating into on-the-ground progress.
“Our 4.7 million customers depend on us to power and heat their homes and businesses safely and reliably,” said Scott Lauber, president and CEO of WEC Energy Group, in the August 7 press release. “To help chart our path forward, we continue to invest in research, technology and system improvement. We look forward to significant opportunities ahead, guided by our commitment to excellence and corporate citizenship.”
In December 2024, WEC secured a conditional $2.5 billion loan guarantee from the U.S. Department of Energy to advance over 1,650 megawatts of utility-scale wind, solar, hydro, and battery storage projects. The financing accelerates execution of the company’s long-term capital plan, significantly expanding its carbon-free generation portfolio and reinforcing its net-zero by 2050 target.
With electricity demand in the Midwest rising from electrification, economic development, and energy-intensive data centers, WEC is scaling large-scale battery storage to improve flexibility and reliability. These systems will help balance intermittent renewable output while meeting load spikes linked to new industrial growth.
WEC’s innovation track record includes a 2022 pilot blending up to 25% hydrogen into a grid-connected natural gas generator—one of the first utility-scale hydrogen co-firing demonstrations in the U.S. Conducted with EPRI and Burns & McDonnell, the project offers a pathway for reducing emissions from dispatchable generation as coal facilities phase out.
The 2024 report also highlights:
Utilities across the U.S. are under pressure to expand clean generation while ensuring grid stability. WEC’s diversified portfolio—combining renewables, modern natural gas, hydrogen pilots, and battery storage—illustrates how incumbent utilities can adapt to surging demand from AI data centers, electrification, and extreme weather events. Federal financing and technology pilots strengthen its position as a regional leader in both innovation and reliability.
