We energies: Critical energy: Newly published data highlights require fast natural gas systems

Milwaukee -Te August, when Milwaukee swung in a 101-degree heat index, the fans and air conditioning were humming all over the city. The people in Milwaukee and throughout the state kept cool in very hot and dangerous weather because we were able to improve energies power plants to cover the critical energy requirements of the customers.

This real event is just an example of why we are investing energy in modern natural gas infrastructure and at the same time building more renewable energies.

Rapid start

In a world that has never been dependent on power, we provide energies 24 hours a day a day. While we energies change its power fleet to support reliability and economic growth, it invests in a balanced mix of wind, solar, energy storage and natural gas.

The company's proposed natural gas generation plants are an important step to ensure reliability for customers during the transition to a cleaner energy future in Wisconsin.

It is now more important than ever that fast start gas systems are available and run when the wind does not blow and the sun does not shine. It goes beyond compliance with the lights – it means that customers and companies are safe in the most extreme weather conditions.

This is exactly what happened last summer.

Hit the sultry heat: sun and wind not enough

At the end of August 2024, a dangerous heat wave Wisconsin met. The Heat Index exceeded 100 degrees and prompted the National Weather service to spend heat warnings.

Low wind over the state and the middle west left the wind turbines almost quietly. We energies solar systems worked well during the day, but stopped producing when the sun started setting.

However, the hot temperatures did not fall with the sun. The upper 90s and three -digit heat indices lasted until night – ie the customers still urgently needed energy to keep themselves safe and cool.

Here we saved energies fast natural gas plants. As the following table shows, these natural gas systems delivered 1,000 to 2,000 megawatts of critical energy on August 26 and August 27 every hour Customer issue to cover.

Wind Dürren cause concern

The heat wave in August 2024 and the necessary reaction of WE energies are not unique.

Two current examples show how important it is to have quick start performance available.

In July, the regional network operator, the Wisconsin and 14 other countries, reported two wind villages in a single week. Winddrocing is a longer period with low wind speeds, which means little or no power generation from wind turbines.

According to Miso, the independent system operator of the midcontinen, wind generation fell to almost zero on two summer days (see table below).

Winter Storm Uri, which frozen a large part of the country in January 2021, is another example. Power grids in the United States saw a 12-day winddog. The extensive low wind speeds and bitter cold temperatures cause life -threatening situations for customers.

In both scenarios, it was the ability of the energies to quickly start energy generation that the energy flows into Wisconsin.

Natural gas is a critical resource

We are planning energies to build new natural gas systems together with new renewable energies are part of a nationwide trend that focuses on reliability.

The North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) is the independent Electric Grid Watchdog in the country. It shows the importance of power generation devices such as natural gas systems, which are not only based on sun and wind.

In a report at the end of last year, the group stated: “Generators with natural gas are and remain in many areas a critical resource for the reliability of the performance system in many areas over the period of 10 years, especially in winter.”

The report from NERC shows that natural gas systems are replaced as coal-fired power plants by solar and wind generation.

The report also found that “severe winter weather events in 2021 and 2022 provided strong references to the critical nature of natural gas as a generator fuel and the importance of secure supply in times of extreme power needs”.

The facts about WE Energies's plans

WE Energies plans to invest in both natural gas and projects for renewable energies that further reduce emissions and support reliability and at the same time strengthen economic development and employment growth. The company's plans include:

• Invest 9.1 billion US dollars in new renewable energies – including solar, wind and battery stores by 2029.
• Modernization of natural gas production with fast power plants and natural gas storage.
• Close older, less efficient coal -fired power plants and the transition of some coal units into natural gas.
• Remove the coal as an energy source by the end of 2032.
• Strengthening the power grid against storms.
• Critical investments in storm hardening and grid resistance, including increased tree trims, added network technology and buried hundreds of kilometers of power lines.