Francesca Pica
We Energies will again delay the closure of its aging coal plant in Oak Creek.
The utility said in public filings to state regulators it's considering keeping two coal units at the Oak Creek Power Plant open into 2027. We Energies initially planned to shut down the plant in 2023 but delayed closure to 2025, then 2026, "to meet high energy demand periods."
The coal units first went online in the 1960s. They now run during periods of peak demand, typically the hottest and coldest days of the year, to help support the electric grid.
The utility says it wants to ensure grid reliability before shutting down the plant, referencing the extreme cold that hit southeast Wisconsin in January.
"Having available generation was incredibly important for reliability and also valuable for our customers," We Energies spokesperson Brendan Conway said.
We Energies is also waiting for new natural gas plants in Oak Creek and Kenosha County to go into service. The plants will help supplement new wind and solar projects as demand for electricity is expected to increase.
"How much [the coal plant] may run, even now through then, remains to be seen," Conway said. "But keeping it available will be super important for a really hot stretch or cold polar vortex."
Environmental groups say decision hurts public health
Environmental groups like Clean Wisconsin said extending the plant's life adds to damage the environment and the health of nearby residents.
"It's turning its back on the communities who are dealing with the pollution that comes from that plant every single day," Amy Barrilleaux, Clean Wisconsin communication director, told the Journal Sentinel.
Plant closure deadlines are set by utilities and don't have an enforcement mechanism – rendering them "meaningless," Barrilleaux said.
"To sit here and say, now it's going to be the end of 2027, I don't know who's going to believe that," she said.
Barrilleaux said the move keeps Wisconsin ratepayers on the hook longer for coal power, which is more expensive than renewable sources like wind and solar.
Conway said that because the plant runs only during periods of peak demand, when energy is at its most expensive, the electricity it supplies to the grid helps reduce overall costs.
The move comes as the Trump administration has ordered retiring coal plants to remain open, including in Michigan and Indiana. The Oak Creek extension is unrelated, Conway said.
Because the Michigan and Indiana plants operate on the same regional grid, Wisconsin residents pay costs associated with them in addition to the Oak Creek facility, Barrilleaux said.
"[The Trump administration's] desperate attempt to prop up what is a dying fuel source is just going to cost us a lot of money," Barrilleaux said.
Francesca Pica can be reached at fpica@usatodayco.com.
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