Wheaton power station
| Part of the Global Oil and Gas Plant Tracker, a Global Energy Monitor project. |
| Related categories: |
Wheaton power station is an operating power station of at least 53-megawatts (MW) in Eau Claire, Chippewa, Wisconsin, United States.
Location
Table 1: Project-level location details
| Plant name | Location | Coordinates (WGS 84) |
|---|---|---|
| Wheaton power station | Eau Claire, Chippewa, Wisconsin, United States | 44.885416, -91.515833 (exact)[1] |
The map below shows the exact location of the power station.
Unit-level coordinates (WGS 84):
- 6: 44.885416, -91.515833
Project Details
Table 2: Unit-level details
| Unit name | Status | Fuel(s) | Capacity (MW) | Technology | CHP | Start year | Retired year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | Operating[1] | fossil liquids: fuel oil[1] | 53.1[1] | gas turbine[1] | no[1] | 1973[1] | 2025 (planned)[1] |
CHP is an abbreviation for Combined Heat and Power. It is a technology that produces electricity and thermal energy at high efficiencies. Coal units track this information in the Captive Use section when known.
Table 3: Unit-level ownership and operator details
| Unit name | Owner | Parent |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | Northern States Power Co [100%][1] | Northern States Power Co [100.0%] |
Ownership Tree
This ownership tree is part of the Global Energy Ownership Tracker, a project of Global Energy Monitor.
Background
Wheaton Repowering Project
In January 2023, Northern States Power Company-Wisconsin (NSPW) filed an application for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity to repower the Wheaton Generating Station in Chippewa County, Wisconsin. The company proposed construction of a new electric generation facility with a total nameplate capacity of 255 MW. Major components of the project include one F-class combustion turbine (CT) (210 MW) and five reciprocating internal combustion engine (RICE) units (9 MW each), which would all be capable of operating with gas or fuel oil. The facilities would also include accessory structures for water preparation and storage, fuel storage and handling, electrical interconnection, and other support functions. The CT and RICE units would be interconnected to the existing onsite interconnection point currently utilized by Wheaton Units 1-4 (with the nameplate capacity below GEM's threshold of 50 MW) and 6, which would be retired in conjunction with the proposed project. NSPW anticipates construction for this project to begin in Q2 2024 with an estimated completion date of September 2025. The construction cost of the proposed project was estimated at USD 244 million.[2] The application was approved in June 2024.[3]
In January 2025, it was reported that technology group Wärtsilä had signed a ten-year Long-Term Optimised Maintenance Agreement with Xcel Energy. The agreement covers tts two new power plants located in Minnesota and Wisconsin. The order was booked by Wärtsilä in Q3, 2024. The Wheaton plant will eature five Wärtsilä 34DF engines having a power output of 48 MW.[4]
According to the "Quarterly Progress Report for the Wheaton Repowering Project", submitted by Xcel Energy to the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin in April 2025, the construction is in progress. Building structures were completed. The combustion turbine generator was delivered to the foundation, and the RICE engine generator units were installed on the foundation in the building.[5] The new plant is planned to begin operating in September 2025 with gas as primary fuel and diesel fuel oil as backup fuel.[6]
Articles and Resources
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 "U.S. Energy Information Administration, Form EIA-860 detailed data with previous form data (EIA-860A/860B), 2022 release". Archived from the original on 2024-02-04.
- ↑ "Wheaton Repowering Project". Public Service Commission of Wisconsin. 2025-06-01. Retrieved June 19, 2025.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "FINAL DECISION". Public Service Commission of Wisconsin. June 4, 2024. Retrieved June 19, 2025.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "Two more U.S. power plants to be supported with long-term Wärtsilä service agreements". Wärtsilä. January 16, 2025. Retrieved June 19, 2025.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "Quarterly Progress Report for the Wheaton Repowering Project". Public Service Commission of Wisconsin. April 30, 2025. Retrieved June 19, 2025.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "Form EIA-860 detailed data with previous form data (EIA-860A/860B)". EIA. June 11, 2025. Retrieved June 19, 2025.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
Additional data
To access additional data, including an interactive map of gas-fired power stations, a downloadable dataset, and summary data, please visit the Global Oil and Gas Plant Tracker on the Global Energy Monitor website.
