WEC ENERGY GROUP, INC. (WEC) Business

ITEM 1. BUSINESS

A. INTRODUCTION

In this report, when we refer to "WEC Energy Group," "the Company," "us," "we," "our," or "ours," we are referring to WEC Energy Group, Inc. and all of its subsidiaries. The term "utility" refers to the regulated activities of the electric and natural gas utility companies, while the term "non-utility" refers to the activities of the electric and natural gas companies that are not regulated, as well as We Power and Bluewater. The term "nonregulated" refers to activities at WECI, which holds interests in several renewable generating facilities, WEC Energy Group holding company, the Integrys holding company, the PELLC holding company, Wispark, Wisvest, WECC, WBS, and PDL. References to "Notes" are to the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

For more information about our business operations, including financial and geographic information, see Note 22, Segment Information, and Item 7. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations – Results of Operations. For information about our business strategy, see Item 7. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations – Corporate Developments.

WEC Energy Group, Inc.

We were incorporated in the state of Wisconsin in 1981 and became a diversified holding company in 1986. We maintain our principal executive offices in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. On June 29, 2015, we acquired 100% of the outstanding common shares of Integrys and changed our name to WEC Energy Group, Inc. Our wholly owned subsidiaries provide or invest in regulated natural gas and electricity, and renewable energy, as well as nonregulated renewable energy. We have an approximately 60% equity interest in ATC (an electric transmission company operating in Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin). At December 31, 2025, we had six reportable segments, which are discussed below. For additional information about our reportable segments, see Note 22, Segment Information.

Available Information

Our annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K, and any amendments to those reports are made available on our website, www.wecenergygroup.com, free of charge, as soon as reasonably practicable after they are filed with or furnished to the SEC. The SEC maintains an Internet site that contains reports, proxy and information statements, and other information regarding issuers that file electronically with the SEC at www.sec.gov.

Investors should note that WEC Energy Group announces material financial information in SEC filings, press releases, and public conference calls. In accordance with SEC guidelines, WEC Energy Group also uses the "Investors" tab on its website, www.wecenergygroup.com, to communicate with investors. It is possible that the financial and other information posted there could be deemed material information. The information on WEC Energy Group's website is not part of this document.

B. UTILITY ENERGY OPERATIONS

Wisconsin Segment

The Wisconsin segment includes the electric and natural gas utility operations of WE, WPS, WG, and UMERC.

Electric Utility Operations

Our electric utility operations include the operations of WE, WPS, and UMERC.

•WE generates and distributes electric energy to customers located in southeastern Wisconsin (including the metropolitan Milwaukee area), east central Wisconsin, and northern Wisconsin.

•WPS generates and distributes electric energy to customers located in northeastern and central Wisconsin.

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•UMERC generates and distributes electric energy to customers, including one iron ore mine owned by Tilden, located in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

Operating Revenues

For information about our operating revenues disaggregated by customer class for the years ended December 31, 2025, 2024, and 2023, see Note 1(d), Operating Revenues, and Note 4, Operating Revenues.

Electric Sales

Our electric energy deliveries included supply and distribution sales to retail, wholesale, and resale customers, and distribution sales to those customers who switched to an alternative electric supplier in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. In 2025, retail revenues accounted for 92.3% of total electric operating revenues, wholesale revenues accounted for 1.9% of total electric operating revenues, and resale revenues accounted for 4.8% of total electric operating revenues. See Item 7. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations – Results of Operations – Wisconsin Segment Contribution to Net Income Attributed to Common Shareholders for information on MWh sales by customer class.

Our electric utilities are authorized to provide retail electric service in designated territories in the state of Wisconsin, as established by indeterminate permits and boundary agreements with other utilities, and in certain territories in the state of Michigan pursuant to franchises granted by municipalities.

We provide wholesale electric service to various customers, including electric cooperatives, municipal joint action agencies, other investor-owned utilities, municipal utilities, and energy marketers.

The majority of our sales for resale are conducted within an energy market operated by MISO at market rates based on the availability of our generation and market demand. Retail fuel costs are reduced by the amount that revenue exceeds the cost of sales derived from these opportunity sales.

Our electric utilities buy and sell electric power by participating in the MISO Energy Markets. The cost of our individual generation offered into the MISO Energy Markets compared to our competitors affects how often our generating units are dispatched and whether we buy or sell power. For more information on the MISO Energy Markets, see E. Regulation.

Steam Sales

WE has a steam utility that generates, distributes, and sells steam supplied by the VAPP to customers in metropolitan Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Steam is used by customers for processing, space heating, domestic hot water, and humidification. Annual sales of steam fluctuate from year to year based on system growth and variations in weather conditions.

Electric Sales Forecast

Our service territory experienced higher weather-normalized retail electric sales in 2025, compared with 2024. We currently forecast retail electric sales volumes, excluding the Tilden mine located in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, to increase 1.6% for 2026, compared with 2025, assuming normal weather. Excluding the very large data center customers, we currently forecast sales volumes to be relatively flat for 2026, assuming normal weather.

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Customers

Electric Commercial and Industrial Retail Customers

We provide electric utility service to a diversified base of customers in industries such as metals and other manufacturing, paper, governmental, food manufacturing, and health services.

Electric Generation and Supply Mix

Our electric supply strategy is to provide our customers with energy from a diverse generation portfolio that balances a stable, reliable, and affordable supply of electricity with environmental stewardship. Through our participation in the MISO Energy Markets, we supply a significant amount of electricity to our customers from generation that we own. We supplement our internally generated power supply with long-term PPAs, including the Point Beach PPA discussed under the heading "Power Purchase Commitments," and through spot purchases in the MISO Energy Markets. We also sell excess power supply into the MISO Energy Markets when it is economical, which reduces net fuel costs by offsetting costs of purchased power. On a real time basis, the MISO Energy Market continuously evaluates system load requirements and dispatches the lowest-cost generation resources, while respecting any limitations on the transmission system.

The table below indicates our sources of electric energy supply as a percentage of sales for the three years ended December 31, as well as estimates for 2026:

(1)    The values included in the estimate assume a natural gas price based on the December 2025 NYMEX.

(2)    Includes hydroelectric, biomass, solar, BESS, and wind generation.

(3)    Includes hydroelectric, wind, and customer-owned renewable generation.

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Electric Generation Facilities

Our generation portfolio is a mix of energy resources having different operating characteristics and fuel sources. We own 8,375 MWs of generation capacity, including wholly owned and jointly owned facilities. We Power's generating units are also included in the generation capacity. Our generation facilities include natural gas-fired plants, coal-fired plants, renewable generation, and BESSs. Certain of our natural gas-fired generation units have the ability to burn oil if natural gas is not available due to delivery constraints. For more information about our facilities, see Item 2. Properties.

We are engaged in discussions with a small number of customers to provide power to large-scale data centers being constructed in our service territories. We anticipate electric demand growth in the years ahead from these VLCs. Subject to pending regulatory approvals from the PSCW as discussed below, WE is planning to make significant infrastructure investments in new natural gas-fired plants, wind, solar and battery projects, and other generation and distribution assets to power and serve these large-scale data centers and other projects. We are working closely with the new data center customers to provide bespoke resources, which are generation resources assigned to the VLCs that match their growing demand in order to minimize the impact on our other retail customers.

Supporting Economic Growth Within Our Communities

Our capital plan reflects the planned retirement of our older, fossil-fueled generation, which we expect to replace with natural gas-fired generation and zero-carbon-emitting renewables. These retirements are intended to address compliance with EPA regulations established under the CAA, as well as contribute to meeting our goal to reduce CO2 emissions from our electric generation. When taken together, the retirements and new investments in natural gas generation and renewables discussed in more detail below should better balance our supply with our demand, while helping to address compliance and maintaining reliable, affordable energy for our customers. As described in the preceding section, we are planning to make significant investments in generation and distribution assets for the future demands of VLCs.

Environmental Goal

Our long-term goal is to achieve net carbon neutral electric generation by the end of 2050. We expect to achieve this goal by continuing to make operating refinements, retiring less efficient generating units, and executing our capital plan. We expect to use coal only as a backup fuel by the end of 2030 and to be in a position to eliminate coal as an energy source by the end of 2032. As of the end of 2025, our electric generation fleet has achieved a 53% reduction in carbon emissions from the 2005 baseline.

As part of our path toward this goal, we have started implementing co-firing with natural gas at the ERGS coal-fired units and at Weston Unit 4. Additionally, we have retired nearly 2,500 MWs of fossil-fueled generation since the beginning of 2018, which includes the 2024 retirements of OCPP Units 5 and 6, the 2019 retirement of the PIPP, and the 2018 retirements of the Pleasant Prairie power plant, the Pulliam power plant, and the jointly-owned Edgewater Unit 4 generating unit. See Note 6, Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, for more information related to certain of these power plant retirements. We expect to retire approximately 900 MWs of additional coal-fired generation by the end of 2031, which includes the planned retirements of OCPP Units 7 and 8 and Weston Unit 3. See Note 7, Property, Plant, and Equipment, for more information.

See Item 7. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations – Corporate Developments for more information on our capital plan.

Also see Item 1A. Risk Factors - Risks Related to Legislation and Regulation - Our operations, capital expenditures, and financial results may be affected by the impact of GHG legislation, regulation, and our emission reduction goal.

Renewable Generation

Our electric utilities meet a portion of their electric generation supply with various renewable energy resources, including wind, solar, hydroelectric, and biomass. This helps our electric utilities work towards our goal of reducing carbon emissions while also maintaining compliance with renewable energy legislation. These renewable energy resources also help us maintain diversity in our generation portfolio, which effectively serves as a price hedge against future fuel costs, and will help mitigate the risk of potential unknown costs associated with any future carbon restrictions for electric generators.

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Wind

Our utilities continue to invest in and upgrade their wind-powered generation systems to enhance reliability. We have received approval from the PSCW to acquire and construct 160 MWs of additional wind-powered generation. Our subsidiaries will jointly own these generation facilities with an unaffiliated entity. See Note 8, Jointly-Owned Utility Facilities, for more information.

Solar and Battery Storage

In June 2025, the construction of the battery portion of Paris located in Kenosha County, Wisconsin was completed, and the facility became commercially operational. The solar portion of Paris was commercially operational in December 2024. Paris is owned by WE, WPS, and an unaffiliated entity, with WE and WPS collectively owning 180 MWs of solar generation. WE and WPS also collectively own 99 MWs of battery storage associated with this project.

In March 2025, the construction of the solar portion of Darien located in Rock and Walworth counties, Wisconsin was completed, and the facility became commercially operational. Darien is owned by WE, WPS, and an unaffiliated entity, with WE and WPS collectively owning 225 MWs of solar generation. WE and WPS will collectively own 68 MWs of battery storage associated with this project, with construction expected to be completed in 2027.

As part of our commitment to invest in additional zero-carbon generation within our Wisconsin segment, we have received approval from the PSCW to acquire and construct 955 MWs of additional solar-powered generation and 411 MWs of battery storage. See Note 8, Jointly-Owned Utility Facilities, for more information.

We have also filed requests with the PSCW to acquire and construct 1,333 MWs of solar-powered generation and 212 MWs of battery storage.

Thermal Generation

As part of our commitment to invest in additional thermal generation within our Wisconsin segment, we have received approval from the PSCW to acquire and construct 1,228 MWs of additional natural gas-fired generation.

We have also filed requests with the PSCW to acquire and construct 1,660 MWs of additional natural gas-fired generation. Some of the generation projects pending approval are for bespoke resources to serve VLCs. See Note 26, Regulatory Environment, for more information on bespoke resources and the proposed VLC tariff.

Electric System Reliability

The PSCW requires us to maintain a planning reserve margin above our projected annual peak demand forecast to help ensure reliability of electric service to our customers. These planning reserve requirements are consistent with the MISO calculated planning reserve margin. In 2008, the PSCW established a 14.5% reserve margin requirement for long-term planning (planning years two through ten). For short-term planning (planning year one), the PSCW requires Wisconsin utilities to follow the planning reserve margin established by MISO. MISO implemented seasonal requirements effective June 1, 2023. The installed capacity reserve margins for the planning year June 1, 2025 through May 31, 2026 are as follows: 15.7% summer (June – August); 25.3% fall (September – November); 38.6% winter (December – February); and 38.8% spring (March – May). MISO's short-term reserve margin requirements experience year-to-year and season-to-season fluctuations, primarily due to changes in the generation resource mix and average forced outage rate of generation within the MISO footprint.

Michigan legislation requires all electric providers to annually demonstrate to the MPSC that they have adequate resources to serve the anticipated needs of their customers for a minimum of four consecutive planning years beginning in the upcoming planning year June 1, 2026, through May 31, 2027. The MPSC has established future planning reserve margin requirements based on the same study conducted by MISO that determines the short-term reserve margin requirements.

In both our Wisconsin and Michigan jurisdictions, we believe that we have adequate capacity through company-owned generation units and power purchase contracts to meet the MISO calculated planning reserve margin during the current planning year. We also fully anticipate that we will have adequate capacity to meet the planning reserve margin requirements for the upcoming planning year in both jurisdictions.

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Fuel and Purchased Power Costs

Our retail electric rates in Wisconsin are established by the PSCW and include base amounts for fuel and purchased power costs. The electric fuel rules set by the PSCW generally allow us to defer, for subsequent rate recovery or refund, under- or over-collections of actual fuel and purchased power costs beyond a 2% price variance from the costs included in the rates charged to customers. Prudently incurred fuel and purchased power costs are recovered dollar-for-dollar from our Michigan retail electric customers. For more information about the fuel rules, see E. Regulation.

Our average fuel and purchased power costs per MWh by fuel type, including delivery costs, were as follows for the years ended December 31:

WE and WPS purchase coal under long-term contracts, which helps with price stability. Coal and associated transportation services are exposed to volatility in pricing due to changing domestic and world-wide demand for coal and diesel fuel. To mitigate against this volatility risk, WE and WPS have PSCW approval for a hedging program. This program allows them to hedge, over a 60-month period, up to 75% of their potential risks related to rail transportation fuel surcharge exposure. The results of this hedging program, when used, are reflected in the average costs of fuel and purchased power.

We purchase natural gas for our plants on the spot market from natural gas marketers, utilities, and producers, and we arrange for transportation of the natural gas to our plants. We have firm and interruptible transportation, as well as balancing and storage agreements, intended to support our plants' variable usage. WE and WPS also have PSCW approval for a hedging program to mitigate against volatility related to natural gas price risk. This program allows them to hedge, over a 60-month period, up to 75% of their estimated natural gas use for electric generation. The results of this hedging program are reflected in the average costs of natural gas.

Coal Supply

We diversify the coal supply for our electric generating facilities and jointly-owned plants by purchasing coal from several mines in Wyoming and Pennsylvania, as well as from various other states. For 2026, 51% of our total projected coal requirements of 8.9 million tons are contracted under fixed-price contracts. See Note 24, Commitments and Contingencies, for more information on amounts of coal purchases and coal deliveries under contract.

The annual tonnage amounts contracted for the next three years are as follows.