Customers who fall behind on their utility bills will soon face late fees and the prospect of having their power shut off after three months of government protection during the coronavirus pandemic. The Public Service Commission has voted unanimously to lift a moratorium on disconnections and other penalties that was put in place following executive orders issued by Gov. Tony Evers in March. Utilities will be allowed to send disconnection notices beginning July 15 to customers who are behind on their bills and have not worked out payment plans. Those customers could see power turned off as soon as July 25.

Heavy rains have caused a major headache for We Energies. The company issued the following statement: “Heavy rain has caused flooding in parts of our steam system in Downtown Milwaukee – creating large steam plumes in parts of downtown. We are investigating a steam system outage that is impacting some customers.” We Energies officials say they don’t know what exactly caused the system of underground steam tunnels in downtown Milwaukee to be flooded with an unprecedented “tidal wave” of water during a major rainstorm. Not only did the steam outage leave hundreds of businesses without heat and hot water for several days, it did major damage to We Energies’ historic headquarters at North 2nd and West Michigan streets. “The estimate to repair is more than $10 million and may take as long as two months before we can reopen the building,” We Energies spokesman Brendan Conway said.

Xcel Energy transmission patrol crew has been flying helicopters alongside lines in Wisconsin to perform inspections to ensure the electric system remains reliable through the summer cooling months. The inspections also meet federal regulatory compliance requirements to secure a reliable electric system.
The crews will identify potential trouble spots along these lines or structural issues that need to be addressed and repaired. They will also look for encroachment issues, such as buildings on or near right of ways, or trees growing too close to transmission lines. Inspections on all Xcel Energy transmission lines in Wisconsin will take about 4-6 weeks. Helicopters will fly within fifty feet of transmission lines at varying speeds. At times the helicopter will hover near infrastructure to perform more detailed inspections. The exact flight schedule is dependent on weather and flying conditions.

Due to COVID 19 and stay at home orders, the Public Utility companies will be hosting their stockholder Annual meetings virtually. Below is the list of companies, their meeting date, and how to attend. 

WEC Energy Group
WEC Energy Group (NYSE: WEC) will hold a virtual-only 2020 Annual Meeting on Wednesday, May 6, at 1:30 p.m. Central/2:30 p.m. Eastern time.  Sign Up

MGE Energy 2020 Annual Meeting Update 
This is an important update regarding our Annual Meeting on May 19, 2020, at 11 a.m. CST.
Since the printing of your proxy materials, we have modified the format of our Annual Meeting from an in-person meeting to a virtual meeting. Sign Up Online

Chicago sited Peoples Gas and North Shore Gas, parts of WEC Energy Group, will contribute more than $1 million in funding, as well as personal protective equipment, to help 42 community organizations across the region provide vital services in response to the COVID-19 emergency.

Xcel Energy has reported 2019 GAAP and ongoing earnings of $1,372 million, or $2.64 per share, compared with
$1,261 million, or $2.47 per share in 2018. Earnings reflect higher electric margins primarily due to non-fuel riders and
regulatory rate outcomes, higher natural gas margins and expenses, increased depreciation and interest expenses.
“We delivered strong financial results again in 2019, with earnings at the upper end of our guidance range. Xcel
Energy continues to deliver consistent and solid performance, meeting or exceeding earnings guidance for the 15th
consecutive year,” said Ben Fowke, chairman, president and CEO of Xcel Energy.

“We are proud of our continued progress in leading the clean energy transition on our path to 80% carbon reductions
by 2030 and 100% carbon-free electricity by 2050, all while providing great value for our customers, communities,
and shareholders. We took important steps on that journey this past year, completing three major Steel for Fuel wind
projects, which contribute to the almost 4,700 megawatts of additional wind expected on our system by 2021. We
begin the new year well-positioned to deliver on our financial objectives in 2020 and beyond.”

WEC Energy Group has reported net income of $1.13 billion, or $3.58 per share, for 2019. This compares to earnings of
$1.06 billion, or $3.34 per share, for 2018. For the fourth quarter of 2019, WEC Energy Group recorded net income of
$243.9 million, or 77 cents per share. This compares to earnings of $205.0 million, or 65 cents per share, for the fourth
quarter of 2018.
“From network reliability to customer satisfaction to earnings and dividend growth, the company continues to
perform at a high level,” said Gale Klappa, executive chairman. “And we’re poised for progress in 2020 as we work to
deliver a clean energy future that is safe, reliable and affordable.”
During the fourth quarter of 2019, two WEC Energy Group utilities — We Energies and Wisconsin Public Service —
were honored for superior reliability of their electric delivery networks. This is the ninth consecutive year that We
Energies has been named best in the Midwest and the first time Wisconsin Public Service has been recognized.

WEC Energy has announced that the company has agreed to increase ownership interest from 80 percent to 90
percent in three Midwest windfarms: Blooming Grove Wind Farm, Thunderhead Wind Energy Center and the Upstream
Wind Energy Center. The total investment is $118 million for an additional 75 megawatts of capacity.
“This agreement marks another step forward for the energy infrastructure segment of our five-year capital plan,”
said Gale Klappa, executive chairman of WEC Energy Group. “The plan calls for deploying $1.8 billion in high-quality
projects that will serve strong, vibrant companies for years to come.”
Invenergy, a leading developer and operator of sustainable energy solutions, is currently building the Blooming Grove
and Thunderhead projects which are expected to achieve commercial operation by the end of 2020. The Upstream
Wind Energy Center, also developed by Invenergy, began service in January 2019. All three wind farms have long-term
offtake agreements with affiliates of investment-grade multinational corporations.
Under the tax rules, the WEC Energy Group investment is expected to be eligible for 100 percent bonus depreciation
and production tax credits. The transactions are subject to receiving all necessary regulatory approvals

Ben Fowke, Xcel Energy’s Chairman, President and CEO, has announced that Bob Frenzel will be named President and Chief Operating Officer and that Brian Van Abel will be the company’s Chief Financial Officer, both effective March 31. As President and COO, Frenzel will have oversight for Xcel Energy’s four operating companies, including the company’s transmission, distribution and natural gas operations. He will continue to report to Fowke.