Three months after WEC Energy Group executives said they were exploring the feasibility of adding natural gas capabilities at the company’s newer Oak Creek coal-fired plants, the company has announced a plan to eliminate coal as an energy source by 2035. The announcement came during a call with the investment community in November of 2021.

WEC Energy Group has reduced carbon dioxide emissions more than 50 percent below 2005 levels. By making operating refinements, retiring less efficient generating units, and executing an aggressive capital plan, WEC committed to a 60 percent reduction in carbon emissions by 2025, 80 percent reduction by the end of 2030 and phasing out coal by 2035. WEC Energy Group’s Chairman, Gale Klappa, told analysts the newer Oak Creek units running on natural gas “will remain a key part of  our fleet for many, many years to come.”

Over the longer term, the target for WEC’s generation fleet is net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. In addition, they have pledged to continue to reduce methane emissions by improving our natural gas distribution system. Given advancements with renewable natural gas and the advantages that come with serving America’s Dairyland, we have set a target across our natural gas distribution operations to achieve net-zero methane emissions by the end of 2030.