MILWAUKEE — We Energies is extending the life of a coal power plant set for retirement this year.
The two units in Oak Creek will now continue burning coal through the end of 2026 “to meet high energy demand periods” and maintain reliability, according to a news release.
“Just this month, national grid experts raised the alarm of elevated risks of power supply shortages and price spikes due to plant closures and increasing energy demand in the Upper Midwest,” Mike Hooper, President of We Energies said in a news release. “We will continue to evaluate the future of the plant based on capacity needs, available generation and what is financially prudent.”
Madison-based nonprofit Clean Wisconsin called the decision “shortsighted” and “profit-driven.”
“We Energies has once again failed to plan for the future, failed to appropriately invest in cheaper clean energy sources, and failed to keep costs down for Wisconsinites,” Ciaran Gallagher, Clean Wisconsin Energy and Air Manager said in a press release. “We Energies is going back on promises it made to communities long burdened by toxic air emissions from that plant.”
The news comes after the Wisconsin Public Service Commission approved a $1.5 billion plan to build natural gas plants in Oak Creek and the Town of Paris in Kenosha County last month.
This is the third time We Energies has delayed the coal plant’s retirement. Over a year ago the company said the two Oak Creek units would close by 2024 and 2025 and transition to natural gas. At the time, We Energies said those closure timelines were earlier than planned.
We Energies said the coal plant timeline extension will not delay other projects to add 6,300 MW of new generation in the form of natural gas, wind and solar, as well as battery storage over the next five years.
