ENOUGH IS ENOUGH

This year, the Public Service Commission will consider proposals submitted by WEC Energy Group, the parent company of We Energies, to build $2 billion worth of new gas infrastructure in southeastern Wisconsin. If approved, these outdated plans would lock us into decades of fossil fuel use and threaten our health, environment, and wallets. Hundreds of communities across the country are rapidly building clean, affordable energy. As Wisconsinites, we’re ready to stop investing in the past, and move forward with a brighter future.

There’s nothing clean about methane gas, and it’s time Wisconsinites stopped paying the price for unhealthy air and higher utility bills.

What’s At Stake for Wisconsin

Methane gas infrastructure threatens our people, planet and pocketbooks

NEGATIVELY IMPACTING THE ENVIRONMENT

Methane, the primary component of natural gas, is a potent greenhouse gas. With over 80 times the warming power of carbon dioxide over a 20-year time horizon, gas burning and methane leaks from extraction, production and transportation significantly contribute to climate change.

HARMING OUR HEALTH

Infusing more money into gas infrastructure will increase negative health outcomes for Wisconsin residents. Burning methane gas leads to increased air pollution, which affects the health of our communities, families, and homes. Research from the National Institutes of Health shows that those living in a zip code with a fuel-fired power plant experience 11% higher asthma hospitalization, 15% higher respiratory infection hospitalization, and 17% higher COPD hospitalization rates than those who live in a zip code without a power plant.

HIGHER BILLS FOR FAMILIES AND BUSINESSES

The cost of building these new gas facilities will be passed on to families and businesses, who will bear the financial burden well beyond the expected lifespan of these plants. We Energies customers are still paying for past fossil fuel projects, including the $2.3 billion Oak Creek coal plant completed in 2011. 

NEGATIVELY IMPACTING THE ENVIRONMENT

Methane, the primary component of natural gas, is a potent greenhouse gas. With over 80 times the warming power of carbon dioxide over a 20-year time horizon, gas burning and methane leaks from extraction, production and transportation significantly contribute to climate change.

HARMING OUR HEALTH

Infusing more money into gas infrastructure will increase negative health outcomes for Wisconsin residents. Burning methane gas leads to increased air pollution, which affects the health of our communities, families, and homes. Research from the National Institutes of Health shows that those living in a zip code with a fuel-fired power plant experience 11% higher asthma hospitalization, 15% higher respiratory infection hospitalization, and 17% higher COPD hospitalization rates than those who live in a zip code without a power plant.

HIGHER BILLS FOR FAMILIES AND BUSINESSES

The cost of building these new gas facilities will be passed on to families and businesses, who will bear the financial burden well beyond the expected lifespan of these plants. We Energies customers are still paying for past fossil fuel projects, including the $2.3 billion Oak Creek coal plant completed in 2011. 

Wisconsin families are already struggling to pay higher energy bills following two 14% We Energies rate increases since 2022. Now the company is asking for another 18.5% increase over the next two years – on top of what the new infrastructure will cost.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Power Wisconsin Forward is a movement toward an affordable, reliable and fossil-free future, championed by the Clean Economy Coalition of Wisconsin and its partners throughout the state. Power Wisconsin Forward aims to educate the state and activate change for the sake of a cleaner economy, knowing that gas infrastructure is bad for our people, our planet, and our pocketbooks.

This year, the Public Service Commission is considering WEC Energy Group’s (parent company of We Energies) proposals to build $2 billion worth of new gas infrastructure in southeastern Wisconsin – one in Paris and another in Oak Creek. Despite submitting these applications, We Energies hasn’t demonstrated a need for the proposed gas plants. 

This is just the first in a number of anticipated proposals for fossil fuel investments across the state this year. Alliant Energy announced in May that it is planning to convert its coal plant in Sheboygan to methane gas by 2028. 

The plans We Energies have put forward include:

  • Building a new gas-generating plant at the Oak Creek Power Plant campus, costing $1.2 billion. (Docket #6630-CE-317) Š
  • Installing seven reciprocating internal combustion engines near the Paris Solar Farm in Kenosha County, costing $280 million. (Docket #6630-CE-316) Š
  • Constructing 33 miles of natural gas pipeline in Kenosha, Racine and Milwaukee counties at a cost of more than $183 million (Docket #6630-CG-139)
  • Constructing a new liquefied natural gas (LNG) facility, including systems to pretreat, liquefy, store and vaporize LNG, in Oak Creek, costing $456.3 million (Docket #6630-CG-140)

Utilities across Wisconsin are saying they need more methane gas infrastructure to ensure the electricity needs of new economic developments are met. However, these new plans are in direct contrast to WEC Energy Group’s stated goal of an 80% reduction in carbon emissions by 2030 and achieving carbon-neutral status by 2050.

Large power plants and liquefied natural gas pipelines are some of the most expensive projects power companies can build, especially compared with wind and solar power. We Energies is rushing to push expensive fossil fuel infrastructure through the Public Service Commission approval process before the tide turns toward clean energy sources.

While gas produces half the carbon emissions of coal plants, it releases methane, which is the primary component of fossil gas and a potent greenhouse gas with negative climate and health impacts. Methane gas has more than 80 times the warming power of carbon dioxide over the span of two decades. Recent research indicates that incidental releases or “leaks” of methane from the extraction, production and transportation of gas greatly reduce or even eliminate the climate benefits of gas. 

Investing in clean energy will reduce the economic and environmental impacts of climate change and existing clean technologies can provide reliable electricity to our state. New clean energy sources and technologies – including community and rooftop solar options – will transform the energy needs for our state. Not only that, Wisconsin can address and improve grid reliability by approving regional transmission lines and reinforcing its system with more clean power generation and storage – without adding additional, costly methane gas plants.

Clean energy technologies can provide healthy, reliable electricity to Wisconsin residents. Investing in renewable solutions – including community and rooftop solar, energy efficiency technologies, large-scale wind and solar, coupled with battery storage and transmission expansion – is a smarter way to meet Wisconsin’s energy needs. 

Not only that, renewable energy is more reliable than methane gas. According to a recent report, methane gas power plants are increasingly unreliable, particularly during extreme weather events. Continuing to rely on them poses a significant risk for our electricity grid due to their vulnerability to failure. 

The risks and costs of methane gas are disproportionately placed upon disadvantaged communities. Disadvantaged communities have historically felt the most severe health impacts from gas pollution. Minority, low-income, and Indigenous populations often bear a disproportionate burden of environmental harms resulting in adverse health outcomes with an increased risk of chronic disease, hospitalizations, and premature deaths.

Living close to gas extraction sites, processing plants, transportation lines, and combustion plants can lead to respiratory diseases, cancer, birth-related issues, mental health issues, sleep problems, and cardiovascular illness.

  • National Institutes of Health research shows that those living in a zip code with a gas power plant experience rates of asthma hospitalization 11% higher, respiratory infection hospitalization rates that are 15% higher, and COPD hospitalization rates that are 17% higher than those who live in a zip code without a power plant.
  • Harvard research shows that pollutants, such as ammonia (NH3), NOx, volatile organic compounds (VOC) and particulate matter cause premature mortality. Deaths from residential gas plants have already surpassed deaths from coal plants in 19 states.

While we don’t yet know the direct impact the new gas plants will have on resident electrical bills, we do know that building gas plants are costly and run the risk of becoming stranded assets in less than a decade, putting an unwanted cost burden on residents.

Utilities make money off the new infrastructure they develop. Consider that We Energies is the most profitable utility in Wisconsin, making more than double the revenue of the next highest utility.  

However, if the technology they build becomes outdated and replaced before its expected timeframe – whether its by cheaper sources or federal regulations about its use  – the costs can’t be fully recovered. This is known as a stranded asset. 

Stranded assets are costs that haven’t been recovered from utility customers for older plants the utility had put into service. For example, We Energies customers are still paying the $2.3 billion price tag for the company’s Oak Creek “Power the Future” coal plant completed in 2011, the most expensive construction project in the history of the state. 

By making these requests for new gas plants, utilities are doubling down on fossil fuels and guaranteeing the creation of additional stranded assets in the future.

While gas produces half the carbon emissions of coal plants, it releases methane, which is the primary component of fossil gas and a potent greenhouse gas with negative climate and health impacts. Methane gas has more than 80 times the warming power of carbon dioxide over the span of two decades. Recent research indicates that incidental release or “leaks” of methane from the extraction, production and transportation of gas greatly reduce or even eliminate the climate benefits.

The Wisconsin Public Service Commission was created to protect customers’ rights and ensure they have a voice. That’s because essential utilities – including electricity, gas and water – are given monopoly status given their geographic service region in Wisconsin. The PSC is responsible for regulating the rates, safety, adequacy and quality of service of these utilities. This also includes where new fossil fuel plants will be constructed, and they require public input to support their decision-making.

The PSC is made up of three, full-time Commissioners who oversee the activities of all PSC staff.  Learn more about the PSC Commissioners and their responsibilities by visiting: https://psc.wi.gov/Pages/AboutPSC/Commissioners.aspx

Yes! Organizations are encouraged to comment or testify in front of the PSC, which is not considered lobbying. PSC dockets are not subject to lobbying percentages due to efforts to make an administrative agency of the government – like the PSC – change its policies or regulations are not considered lobbying under Wisconsin and federal law. For more information, visit https://nonprofitquarterly.org/advocacy-lobbying-501c3-charitable/ or consult your organization’s legal counsel.

Visit www.powerwisconsinforward.com to learn more about how you can attend an upcoming event, submit a comment to the Wisconsin Public Service Commission, or sign up for our newsletters to stay in the know.