WEC Energy Group Inc.

WEC Energy Group Inc., commonly known as WEC Energy Group, is a publicly traded diversified holding company headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1896 as The Milwaukee Electric Railway and Light Company, the company adopted its current name following the 2015 acquisition of Integrys Energy Group. Trading on the NYSE under the ticker symbol WEC, the company is a significant energy provider, reporting $10.08 billion in revenue for the trailing 12 months ending March 31, 2026, and employing approximately 7,000 to 7,151 people. Its market capitalization stands at roughly $35.56 to $36.68 billion.

WEC Energy Group primarily operates in electric generation and distribution, as well as natural gas delivery. Through its subsidiaries, including We Energies, Wisconsin Public Service, Peoples Gas, North Shore Gas, Minnesota Energy Resources, and Michigan Gas Utilities, it serves approximately 4.7 million customers across Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, and Minnesota. The company also holds a 60% equity interest in American Transmission Co. (ATC), an electric transmission utility, and manages non-utility power generation operations.

In patent litigation, WEC Energy Group Inc. operates as an operating company, with its sole tracked case listing it as a plaintiff. The company, along with its subsidiary Wisconsin Power & Light Co., is a petitioner in an Inter Partes Review (IPR) before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB). This posture indicates it is challenging patent validity, typically a defensive measure against assertions of infringement.

The notable case, Wisconsin Power & Light Co. et al. v. Birchtech Corp., involves WEC Energy Group (as a petitioner alongside other energy companies) challenging patents held by Birchtech Corp., an environmental technologies firm. Birchtech Corp. has initiated patent infringement lawsuits against multiple coal-fired power utilities concerning mercury emissions reduction technologies, suggesting WEC Energy Group's PTAB action is a response to these broader assertions. The proceedings highlight the strategy of using PTAB challenges to address patent risks for large utility operations.