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The 46th Annual Meeting of Members was held at the War Memorial Center in Milwaukee on September 17th, followed by a historic self-guided tour of the memorial and its exhibits.

Notably at this year’s business meeting, three current board members chose to seek re-election, and were voted in for another term.  Gregory Bollum is staying on in the Chairman role, Thomas Hanson remains as Secretary, and Connie Lawniczak as one of our Members on the Board.

James Buchen, Executive Director of WUI, along with Joel Haubrich, Manager of WI Government Affairs for WEC Energy Group, delivered an informative legislative update and election preview. Overall, last session was relatively successful with four of the six bills we supported being signed into law, and none of the three bills we opposed passing. The coming elections are likely to bring change to the Wisconsin Legislature with a possible shift in majority party in at least one house. 

Keynote speaker Brendan Conway, Director of Media and Public Relations at WEC Energy Group, reviewed his company’s current and future plans. He told members the company expects its electricity demand to grow between 6.5 and 8 percent year over year, and to grow by 45 percent by 2030. While data centers are a big part of that growth, under the recently approved tariff none of the cost of supplying electricity to data centers will be passed along to consumers. He also noted that water consumption from the Microsoft data center is expected to be negligible – no more than what a typical restaurant consumes in a year.  He said the company expects to deliver the best risk-adjusted returns in the industry.

Following the business meeting, one of our own Board Members, Bill Finke, gave an enlightening presentation on the history of one of the most renowned military families from Milwaukee, the MacArthurs, of which the War Memorial Center showcases in its exhibits.  We were also honored to have Brian Winski, President and CEO of the War Memorial Center, give a brief overview of the memorials and what to expect on the tour.  After the drawing for the raffle prizes, the meeting concluded with an opportunity for members to tour the War Memorial Center at leisure.

After regulators told it to go back to the drawing board, American Transmission Company has reapplied to build a more than $2 billion transmission project that will serve the data center being built in Port Washington.

The utility has filed a new application with the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin to build the Ozaukee County Distribution Interconnection Project. It would include new and rebuilt high-voltage power lines, upgrades to existing facilities and construction of up to five new substations.

The project would extend across Fond du Lac, Calumet, Manitowoc, Ozaukee, Sheboygan and Washington counties. It would serve Oracle’s data center campus in Port Washington.

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American Transmission Company had to file the new application after the PSC voted to revoke a “completeness” determination for the company’s previous application to build the project. Regulators felt the application had seen such extensive revisions that it became difficult for officials and the public to adequately review.

In a statement, Jared Winters, Executive Vice President and Chief Assets Officer for ATC, said the company “substantially improved” its application since its last filing and made changes based on feedback from the commission and public.

Alliant Energy has announced that the Rock County liquefied natural gas storage facility is moving forward, following verbal approval from the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin. 

“We’re grateful for the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin’s thorough review,” according to Becky Valcq, President of Alliant Energy’s Wisconsin energy company. “This investment represents an important step in strengthening our energy infrastructure to meet customers’ needs, particularly during periods of high demand and extreme weather. It supports a more resilient energy system, helps manage costs and ensures we can continue providing the reliable service customers count on. We appreciate the engagement and feedback received throughout the review process and look forward to continuing to work closely with local communities as the project moves forward.” 

Realta Fusion, the world’s leading magnetic mirror fusion energy company, has announced a strategic partnership with Madison Gas and Electric (MGE) and its parent company, MGE Energy, Inc., to explore joint development of a 200-megawatt electric fusion energy power plant in Wisconsin.

MGE Energy made a direct equity investment in Realta in the first phase of the partnership. The utility company has also agreed to provide Realta with equipment, engineering and technical support along with assistance for siting, permitting, interconnection and financing of the anticipated 200-Mwe plant.

“Our agreement with MGE to explore the opportunity to build out a fusion power plant is a clear signal that fusion’s time is coming,” according to Realta CEO Kieran Furlong. “Fusion energy will be the ultimate source for zero-carbon electricity for humanity’s growing needs, and now we have a forward-thinking partner in MGE ready to help us make fusion real.”

A future fusion power plant in Wisconsin would represent a first-of-its-kind investment in next-generation carbon-free energy technology and help advance MGE’s goal of net-zero carbon electricity.

“At MGE, we’ve long believed that achieving a net-zero carbon future requires innovation, partnerships and a willingness to explore emerging technologies,” according to MGE Chairman, President, and CEO Jeff Keebler. “Realta is developing a promising fusion technology right here in Madison, and this collaboration reflects our commitment to exploring emerging technologies that have the potential to deliver reliable, around-the-clock carbon-free energy for our customers and communities.”

After a major spill in northern Wisconsin, caused when a runaway truck struck Enbridge’s Line 5 at a valve site in Iron County, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer and the state’s environmental director are backing away from July permits, saying they must reexamine their approval under mounting legal pressure.

The reversal follows a Michigan Supreme Court ruling that struck down a key Public Service Commission permit, finding regulators conducted an overly narrow review and must now complete a broader analysis under the Michigan Environmental Protection Act that fully assesses the tunnel’s environmental harms and considers alternatives.

Whitmer drew scrutiny in July from tribes and Great Lakes advocates after the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy, or EGLE, reissued wetlands and bottomlands permits for the Line 5 tunnel project. Enbridge had allowed its 2021 permit to expire, then reapplied with additional wetlands-survey data. The agency approved the application after a 16-month review.

Great Lakes groups and tribes said the decision undercut Whitmer’s earlier effort to shut down Line 5 and reduce spill risks in the Straits of Mackinac between Lakes Michigan and Huron.

Now Whitmer and EGLE Director Phil Roos say the court’s decision means the state has to take a fresh look at how that ruling affects the July tunnel permits, with Roos adding that construction of Enbridge’s Line 5 tunnel is already on hold until legal questions are sorted out.

The Dane County Board has called for additional review and more public input before a proposed 765-kilovolt transmission project through southern Wisconsin moves forward.

The board has unanimously adopted a resolution urging Midcontinent Grid Solutions and the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin to provide additional review and opportunities for public input on the Bell Center-Columbia-Sugar Creek-Illinois/Wisconsin State Line 765-kilovolt transmission project, known as BECI.

The resolution asks MGS and the PSC to delay consideration of the project until additional research, analysis and public review have been completed.

The BECI project would include a roughly 190-mile transmission line across southern Wisconsin. Midcontinent Grid Solutions is currently studying potential segments for the project, including areas in Dane County.

The project has drawn growing attention from landowners and local governments as the planning process continues. Last month, the Town of Bristol Board unanimously passed a resolution opposing the routing and construction of the transmission line through the town.

Dane County leaders said the current public feedback process has not given landowners, municipalities and residents enough time to evaluate potential routes and property-specific impacts.

“A project of this scale deserves a level of scrutiny and public input that the current timeline simply does not allow,” Dane County Board Chair Patrick Miles said. “Dane County is far from alone in this concern.”

The Iowa Utilities Commission has issued its final decision in the subsequent proceeding associated with Alliant Energy's 2024 Iowa rate case. As part of that decision, the Commission approved a reduction to residential natural gas rates.

Alliant Energy proposed a reduction to residential natural gas rates as part of this proceeding, and the Commission agreed that an adjustment was appropriate. The company said they view the decision as a positive outcome for customers and will move quickly to complete the required compliance process and implement the rate decrease.

UPDATED Brendan Conway WEC Energy Presentation.pptx

Xcel Energy has reported 2026 second quarter GAAP earnings of $586 million, or $0.93 per share, compared with $444 million, or $0.75 per share in the same period in 2025. It had ongoing earnings of $589 million, or $0.93 per share compared with $444 million or $0.75 per share in the same period in 2025.

The change in earnings per share was primarily driven by increased recovery of electric infrastructure investments, partially offset by higher financing costs.

“Xcel Energy has been at the center of transformations and infrastructure shifts in our industry for more than 100 years. Our second quarter results demonstrate strong and consistent execution across all our key priorities: customer satisfaction and affordability, system reliability and resiliency, meeting the clean energy aspirations of our communities and ensuring financial discipline,” according to Bob Frenzel, Chairman, President and CEO of Xcel Energy.

WEC Energy Group has reported net income of $299.2 million, or 91 cents per share, for the second quarter of 2026 — up from $245.4 million, or 76 cents per share, for last year's second quarter. For the first six months of 2026, the company recorded net income of $1.1 billion, or $3.36 per share — up from $969.6 million, or $3.02 per share, in the corresponding period a year ago. Consolidated revenues totaled $5.5 billion, up $337.3 million from the first half of 2025.

"Our focus on customer service, financial discipline and operating efficiency — while continuing to execute on our capital plan — helped deliver a strong quarter," according to Scott Lauber, Chairman, President and CEO.

Retail deliveries of electricity — excluding the iron ore mine in Michigan's Upper Peninsula and Very Large Customers (VLCs) in Wisconsin — were essentially flat in the second quarter of 2026, compared to the second quarter last year.

Electricity consumption by small commercial and industrial customers was 0.2 percent lower. Electricity use by large commercial and industrial customers — excluding the iron ore mine and VLCs — increased by 0.9 percent.

Residential electricity use decreased by 1.1 percent.

On a weather-normal basis, retail deliveries of electricity during the second quarter of this year — excluding the iron ore mine and VLCs — increased by 1.2 percent.

The company is reaffirming its 2026 earnings guidance of $5.51 to $5.61 per share. This assumes normal weather for the remainder of the year.