Wisconsin Energy Corporation
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Wisconsin Energy Corporation (NYSE: WEC) is a company based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin that provides electricity and natural gas throughout Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The company also has several non-regulated, non-utility braches.
The company is also referred to as We Energies, which is the trade-name of Wisconsin Electric Power Company (or WEPCO) and Wisconsin Gas Company, the primary utility subsidiaries of Wisconsin Energy Corporation. We Energies corporate headquarters are located at 231 W. Michigan Street in Milwaukee.
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[edit] Utility companies
[edit] Wisconsin Electric Power Company
Wisconsin Electric Power Company, which does business as We Energies, provides electrical service for over one million customers, primarily located in southeastern and eastern Wisconsin as well as the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. We Energies also supplies nearly one million natural gas customers located throughout the state of Wisconsin.
The majority of We Energies' electricity is generated by its coal-fired power plants, mainly from its power plants in Oak Creek and Pleasant Prairie. A sizeable portion of We Energies' generation capacity also comes from the Point Beach Nuclear Generating Station north of Manitowoc, Wisconsin. We Energies also operates numerous natural gas-fired "peaking" plants which are used to produce electricity during periods of peak demand. A relatively small amount of hydroelectric power is generated by several dams located on rivers in northeast Wisconsin.
Wisconsin Electric was formed in 1896 as the Milwaukee Electric Railway and Light Company, a subsidiary of the North American Company, changing its name to Wisconsin Electric Power Company in 1938. In 1941, the company purchased Wisconsin Gas & Electric and Wisconsin Michigan Power Company.
[edit] Wisconsin Gas, LLC
Wisconsin Gas, LLC is a natural gas distribution utility, and does business as We Energies. Wisconsin Energy acquired Wisconsin Gas in 2000, when it purchased its parent company, Wicor, Inc., for about $1.2 billion.[1] The company's historic headquarters are still known as the Wisconsin Gas Building, though We Energies no longer owns the building.[2]
Wisconsin Energy first got into the natural gas business with Wisconsin Electric's purchase of Wisconsin Gas & Electric in 1941. Wisconsin Energy also purchased Wisconsin Southern Gas Company in 1994.[3]
[edit] Edison Sault Electric Company
Edison Sault Electric Company is a public utility that provides electricity to the eastern portion of Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Its service area covers four counties (Chippewa, Mackinac, Schoolcraft and Delta). The company was founded in 1892 in Sault Ste. Marie.
Edison Sault's only generating station is the Hydro facility in downtown Sault Ste. Marie located on the St. Marys River. During the night when demand is low, the company will sell power to larger companies such as Upper Peninsula Power Company and Consumers Energy. Edison Sault's transmission system voltage is 138,000 volts. The subtransmission system voltage is 69,000 volts. The distribution system voltage is 13,200 volts.
Edison Sault has four 138 kV interconnections with other utilities. Two are with Consumers Energy in lower Michigan. (Mackinaw-Straits #1 and Mackinaw-Straits #2) These two lines are submerged under the Straits of Mackinac. Edison Sault has two interconnections with Wisconsin Electric. (Arnold-Indian Lake #1 and Arnold-Indian Lake #2)
Edison Sault has interconnections with Cloverland Electric Co-op and Upper Peninsula Power Company on its 69 kV subtransmission system.
Wisconsin Energy Corporation acquired the Edison Sault Electric Company with its purchase of its parent company, ESELCO in 1998.[4]
[edit] Non-utility companies
[edit] Minergy Corporation
Minergy Corporation is a corporation specializing in vitrifying waste materials into glass. It operates plants in Neenah and Winneconne that processes sludge created by paper mills and is building a new plant in Zion, Illinois.[5] Wisconsin Energy also profits from energy generated from the steam produced in this process.
[edit] We Power, LLC
We Power, LLC is a company set up by Wisconsin Energy Corporation to design and build power plants for We Energies. In order to take full advantage of new Wisconsin laws passed in 2001, We Power has been partnering with [6]
[edit] Wispark, LLC
Wispark, LLC is a commercial and industrial real estate development company. It was first set up in 1987 in order to develop an industrial park to get approval of the Pleasant Prairie Power Plant near Kenosha and has since had the dual focus of generating money for its parent corporation as well as reap goodwill through development of brownfield land in the areas it serves.[7]
[edit] Wisvest Corporation
Wisvest Corporation was formed in 1987 to develop, own and operate power plants for its corporate parent. Due to regulatory and tax concerns, Wisconsin Energy Corporation has been divesting Wisvest's holdings for the past few years.[8]
