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UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, DC 20549

FORM 10-K

(Mark One)

☒			ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021

OR

☐			TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the transition period from ________________ to ___________________

Commission File Number						Registrant; State of Incorporation; Address; and Telephone Number						IRS Employer Identification No.
001-09057						WEC ENERGY GROUP, INC.						39-1391525

(A Wisconsin Corporation)

231 West Michigan Street

P.O. Box 1331

Milwaukee, WI 53201

(414) 221-2345

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Title of Each Class						Trading Symbol(s)						Name of Each Exchange on Which Registered
Common Stock, $.01 Par Value						WEC						New York Stock Exchange

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:

None

Indicate by check mark if the Registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act.

Yes ☒ No ☐

Indicate by check mark if the Registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act.

Yes ☐ No ☒

Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the Registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.

Yes ☒ No ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files).

Yes ☒ No ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of "large accelerated filer," "accelerated filer," "smaller reporting company," and "emerging growth company" in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

			Large accelerated filer			☒						Accelerated filer			☐
			Non-accelerated filer			☐						Smaller reporting company						☐
												Emerging growth company						☐

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management’s assessment of

the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 U.S.C.

7262(b)) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report. ☒

Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).

Yes ☐ No ☒

The aggregate market value of the common stock of WEC Energy Group, Inc. held by non-affiliates was $28.1 billion based upon the reported closing price of such securities as of June 30, 2021.

Indicate the number of shares outstanding of each of the registrant's classes of common stock, as of the latest practicable date (January 31, 2022):

Common Stock, $.01 par value, 315,434,531 shares outstanding

Documents incorporated by reference:

Portions of WEC Energy Group, Inc.'s Definitive Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A for its Annual Meeting of Shareholders, to be held on May 5, 2022, are incorporated by reference into Part III hereof.

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WEC ENERGY GROUP, INC.

ANNUAL REPORT ON FORM 10-K

For the Year Ended December 31, 2021

TABLE OF CONTENTS

															Page
CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION															1
PART I															4
ITEM 1.			BUSINESS												4
			A.			INTRODUCTION									4
			B.			UTILITY ENERGY OPERATIONS									4
			C.			ELECTRIC TRANSMISSION SEGMENT									16
			D.			NON-UTILITY OPERATIONS									16
			E.			REGULATION									18
			F.			ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLIANCE									21
			G.			HUMAN CAPITAL									22
ITEM 1A.			RISK FACTORS												24
ITEM 1B.			UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS												36
ITEM 2.			PROPERTIES												37
ITEM 3.			LEGAL PROCEEDINGS												39
ITEM 4.			MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURES												40
			INFORMATION ABOUT OUR EXECUTIVE OFFICERS												41
PART II															43
ITEM 5.			MARKET FOR REGISTRANT'S COMMON EQUITY, RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS AND ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES												43
ITEM 6.			RESERVED												43
ITEM 7.			MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS												44
ITEM 7A.			QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK												78
ITEM 8.			FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA												79
			A.			Reports of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm									79
			B.			Consolidated Income Statements									82
			C.			Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income									83
			D.			Consolidated Balance Sheets									84
			E.			Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows									85
			F.			Consolidated Statements of Equity									86
			G.			Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements									87
						Note 1			Summary of Significant Accounting Policies			87
						Note 2			Acquisitions			98
						Note 3			Dispositions			100
						Note 4			Operating Revenues			101
						Note 5			Credit Losses			104
						Note 6			Regulatory Assets and Liabilities			105
						Note 7			Property, Plant, and Equipment			108
						Note 8			Jointly Owned Utility Facilities			109
						Note 9			Asset Retirement Obligations			110
						Note 10			Goodwill and Intangibles			110
						Note 11			Common Equity			111
						Note 12			Preferred Stock			114
						Note 13			Short-Term Debt and Lines of Credit			115
						Note 14			Long-Term Debt			116
						Note 15			Leases			119
						Note 16			Income Taxes			123
						Note 17			Fair Value Measurements			125

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						Note 18			Derivative Instruments			127
						Note 19			Guarantees			128
						Note 20			Employee Benefits			128
						Note 21			Investment in Transmission Affiliates			133
						Note 22			Segment Information			134
						Note 23			Variable Interest Entities			137
						Note 24			Commitments and Contingencies			138
						Note 25			Supplemental Cash Flow Information			143
						Note 26			Regulatory Environment			144
						Note 27			Other Income, Net			150
						Note 28			New Accounting Pronouncements			150
ITEM 9.			CHANGES IN AND DISAGREEMENTS WITH ACCOUNTANTS ON ACCOUNTING AND FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE												152
ITEM 9A.			CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES												152
ITEM 9B.			OTHER INFORMATION												152
ITEM 9C.			DISCLOSURE REGARDING FOREIGN JURISDICTIONS THAT PREVENT INSPECTIONS												152
PART III															153
ITEM 10.			DIRECTORS, EXECUTIVE OFFICERS, AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE OF THE REGISTRANT												153
ITEM 11.			EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION												153
ITEM 12.			SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT AND RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS												153
ITEM 13.			CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS, AND DIRECTOR INDEPENDENCE												154
ITEM 14.			PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTING FEES AND SERVICES												154
PART IV															155
ITEM 15.			EXHIBITS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES												155
ITEM 16.			FORM 10-K SUMMARY												160
SCHEDULE I — CONDENSED PARENT COMPANY FINANCIAL STATEMENTS															161
			A.			Income Statements									161
			B.			Statements of Comprehensive Income									162
			C.			Balance Sheets									163
			D.			Statements of Cash Flows									164
			E.			Notes to Parent Company Financial Statements									165
SCHEDULE II — VALUATION AND QUALIFYING ACCOUNTS															168
SIGNATURES															169

2021 Form 10-K			ii			WEC Energy Group, Inc.

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GLOSSARY OF TERMS AND ABBREVIATIONS

The abbreviations and terms set forth below are used throughout this report and have the meanings assigned to them below:

Subsidiaries and Affiliates
ATC						American Transmission Company LLC
ATC Holdco						ATC Holdco LLC
ATC Holding						ATC Holding LLC
Bishop Hill III						Bishop Hill Energy III LLC
Blooming Grove						Blooming Grove Wind Energy Center LLC
Bluewater						Bluewater Natural Gas Holding, LLC
Bluewater Gas Storage						Bluewater Gas Storage, LLC
Coyote Ridge						Coyote Ridge Wind, LLC
Integrys						Integrys Holding, Inc.
Jayhawk						Jayhawk Wind, LLC
MERC						Minnesota Energy Resources Corporation
MGU						Michigan Gas Utilities Corporation
NSG						North Shore Gas Company
PDL						WPS Power Development, LLC
PELLC						Peoples Energy, LLC
PGL						The Peoples Gas Light and Coke Company
Tatanka Ridge						Tatanka Ridge Wind, LLC
UMERC						Upper Michigan Energy Resources Corporation
Upstream						Upstream Wind Energy LLC
WBS						WEC Business Services LLC
WE						Wisconsin Electric Power Company
We Power						W.E. Power, LLC
WEC Energy Group						WEC Energy Group, Inc.
WECC						Wisconsin Energy Capital Corporation
WECI						WEC Infrastructure LLC
WECI Wind Holding I						WEC Infrastructure Wind Holding I LLC
WEPCo Environmental Trust						WEPCo Environmental Trust Finance I, LLC
WG						Wisconsin Gas LLC
Wispark						Wispark LLC
Wisvest						Wisvest LLC
WPS						Wisconsin Public Service Corporation
WRPC						Wisconsin River Power Company
Federal and State Regulatory Agencies
CBP						United States Customs and Border Protection Agency
DOC						United States Department of Commerce
EPA						United States Environmental Protection Agency
FERC						Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
ICC						Illinois Commerce Commission
IDNR						Illinois Department of Natural Resources
IEPA						Illinois Environmental Protection Agency
IRS						United States Internal Revenue Service
MPSC						Michigan Public Service Commission
MPUC						Minnesota Public Utilities Commission
PSCW						Public Service Commission of Wisconsin
SEC						Securities and Exchange Commission
WDNR						Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
Accounting Terms
AFUDC						Allowance for Funds Used During Construction
ARO						Asset Retirement Obligation
ASC						Accounting Standards Codification

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ASU						Accounting Standards Update
CWIP						Construction Work in Progress
FASB						Financial Accounting Standards Board
GAAP						Generally Accepted Accounting Principles
LIFO						Last-In, First-Out
OPEB						Other Postretirement Employee Benefits
VIE						Variable Interest Entity
Environmental Terms
ACE						Affordable Clean Energy
Act 141						2005 Wisconsin Act 141
BATW						Bottom Ash Transport Water
BTA						Best Technology Available
CAA						Clean Air Act
CO2						Carbon Dioxide
ELG						Steam Electric Effluent Limitation Guidelines
FGD						Flue Gas Desulfurization
GHG						Greenhouse Gas
GMZ						Groundwater Management Zone
NAAQS						National Ambient Air Quality Standards
NOV						Notice of Violation
NOx						Nitrogen Oxide
PCB						Polychlorinated Biphenyl
SO2						Sulfur Dioxide
VN						Violation Notice
WOTUS						Waters of the United States
Measurements
Bcf						Billion Cubic Feet
Dth						Dekatherm
MDth						One Thousand Dekatherms
MW						Megawatt
MWh						Megawatt-hour
Other Terms and Abbreviations
2007 Junior Notes						WEC Energy Group, Inc.'s 2007 Junior Subordinated Notes Due 2067
2013 Junior Notes						Integrys Holding, Inc.'s 6.00% Junior Notes Due August 1, 2073
AG						Attorney General
AMI						Advanced Metering Infrastructure
ARR						Auction Revenue Right
Badger Hollow I						Badger Hollow Solar Park I
Badger Hollow II						Badger Hollow Solar Park II
Blue Sky						Blue Sky Green Field Wind Park
CDC						Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
CFR						Code of Federal Regulations
Compensation Committee						Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors of WEC Energy Group, Inc.
COVID-19						Coronavirus Disease – 2019
Crane Creek						Crane Creek Wind Park
D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals						United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
ERGS						Elm Road Generating Station
ER 1						Elm Road Generating Station Unit 1
ER 2						Elm Road Generating Station Unit 2
ESG Progress Plan						WEC Energy Group's Capital Investment Plan for Efficiency, Sustainability, and Growth for 2021-2025
ETB						Environmental Trust Bond
EV						Electric Vehicle
Exchange Act						Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended

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Executive Order 13990						Executive Order 13990 of January 20, 2021 - Protecting Public Health and the Environment and Restoring Science To Tackle the Climate Crisis
Forward Wind						Forward Wind Energy Center
FTR						Financial Transmission Right
GCRM						Gas Cost Recovery Mechanism
GUIC						Gas Utility Infrastructure Costs
Holding Company Act						Wisconsin Utility Holding Company Act
ITC						Investment Tax Credit
LIBOR						London Interbank Offered Rate
LMP						Locational Marginal Price
LNG						Liquefied Natural Gas
MISO						Midcontinent Independent System Operator, Inc.
MISO Energy Markets						MISO Energy and Operating Reserves Market
NYMEX						New York Mercantile Exchange
OCPP						Oak Creek Power Plant
OC 5						Oak Creek Power Plant Unit 5
OC 7						Oak Creek Power Plant Unit 7
OC 8						Oak Creek Power Plant Unit 8
Omnibus Stock Incentive Plan						WEC Energy Group Omnibus Stock Incentive Plan, Amended and Restated, Effective as of May 6, 2021
PIPP						Presque Isle Power Plant
Point Beach						Point Beach Nuclear Power Plant
PPA						Power Purchase Agreement
PSB						Public Service Building
PTC						Production Tax Credit
PUHCA 2005						Public Utility Holding Company Act of 2005
PWGS						Port Washington Generating Station
PWGS 1						Port Washington Generating Station Unit 1
PWGS 2						Port Washington Generating Station Unit 2
QIP						Qualifying Infrastructure Plant
RCC						Replacement Capital Covenant (dated May 11, 2007)
REC						Renewable Energy Certificate
RICE						Reciprocating Internal Combustion Engine
RNG						Renewable Natural Gas
ROE						Return on Equity
RTO						Regional Transmission Organization
Sapphire Sky						Sapphire Sky Wind Energy LLC
SMP						Safety Modernization Program
SPC						COVID-19 Special Purpose Charge
SSR						System Support Resource
Supreme Court						United States Supreme Court
Tax Legislation						Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017
Thunderhead						Thunderhead Wind Energy LLC
Tilden						Tilden Mining Company
TPTFA						Third-Party Transaction Fee Adjustment
Two Creeks						Two Creeks Solar Park
VAPP						Valley Power Plant
West Riverside						West Riverside Energy Center
Whitewater						Whitewater Cogeneration Facility
WRO						Withhold Release Order

2021 Form 10-K			v			WEC Energy Group, Inc.

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CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION

In this report, we make statements concerning our expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, goals, strategies, and future events or performance. These statements are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Exchange Act. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements may be identified by reference to a future period or periods or by the use of terms such as "anticipates," "believes," "could," "estimates," "expects," "forecasts," "goals," "guidance," "intends," "may," "objectives," "plans," "possible," "potential," "projects," "seeks," "should," "targets," "will," or variations of these terms.

Forward-looking statements include, among other things, statements concerning management's expectations and projections regarding earnings, completion of capital projects, sales and customer growth, rate actions and related filings with regulatory authorities, environmental and other regulations, including associated compliance costs, legal proceedings, dividend payout ratios, effective tax rates, pension and OPEB plans, fuel costs, sources of electric energy supply, coal and natural gas deliveries, remediation costs, climate-related matters, our ESG Progress Plan, liquidity and capital resources, and other matters.

Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the statements. These risks and uncertainties include those described in Item 1A. Risk Factors and those identified below:

• Factors affecting utility operations such as catastrophic weather-related damage, including climate change, environmental incidents, unplanned facility outages and repairs and maintenance, and electric transmission or natural gas pipeline system constraints;

• Factors affecting the demand for electricity and natural gas, including political or regulatory developments, varying, adverse, or unusually severe weather conditions, including climate change, changes in economic conditions, customer growth and declines, commodity prices, energy conservation efforts, and continued adoption of distributed generation by customers;

• The timing, resolution, and impact of rate cases and negotiations, including recovery of deferred and current costs and the ability to earn a reasonable return on investment, and other regulatory decisions impacting our regulated operations;

• The impact of health pandemics, including the COVID-19 pandemic, on our business functions, financial condition, liquidity, and results of operations;

• The impact of recent and future federal, state, and local legislative and/or regulatory changes, including changes in rate-setting policies or procedures, the expiration and non-renewal of the QIP rider, deregulation and restructuring of the electric and/or natural gas utility industries, transmission or distribution system operation, the approval process for new construction, reliability standards, pipeline integrity and safety standards, allocation of energy assistance, energy efficiency mandates, and tax laws, including those that affect our ability to use PTCs and ITCs;

• Federal and state legislative and regulatory changes relating to the environment, including climate change and other environmental regulations impacting generation facilities and renewable energy standards, the enforcement of these laws and regulations, changes in the interpretation of regulations or permit conditions by regulatory agencies, and the recovery of associated remediation and compliance costs;

• The ability to obtain and retain customers, including wholesale customers, due to increased competition in our electric and natural gas markets from retail choice and alternative electric suppliers, and continued industry consolidation;

• The timely completion of capital projects within budgets and the ability to recover the related costs through rates;

• The risk of delays and shortages, and increased costs of equipment, materials, or other resources that are critical to our business operations and corporate strategy, as a result of supply chain disruptions, future inflation, and other factors;

• Factors affecting the implementation of our CO2 emission and/or methane emission reduction goals and opportunities and actions related to those goals, including related regulatory decisions, the cost of materials, supplies, and labor, technology advances, the feasibility of competing generation projects, and our ability to execute our capital plan;

2021 Form 10-K			1			WEC Energy Group, Inc.

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• The financial and operational feasibility of taking more aggressive action to further reduce GHG emissions in order to limit future global temperature increases;

• The risks associated with inflation and changing commodity prices, including natural gas and electricity;

• The availability and cost of sources of natural gas and other fossil fuels, purchased power, materials needed to operate environmental controls at our electric generating facilities, or water supply due to high demand, shortages, transportation problems, nonperformance by electric energy or natural gas suppliers under existing power purchase or natural gas supply contracts, or other developments;

• Changes in credit ratings, interest rates, and our ability to access the capital markets, caused by volatility in the global credit markets, our capitalization structure, and market perceptions of the utility industry, us, or any of our subsidiaries;

• Changes in the method of determining LIBOR or the replacement of LIBOR with an alternative reference rate;

• Costs and effects of litigation, administrative proceedings, investigations, settlements, claims, and inquiries;

• The direct or indirect effect on our business resulting from terrorist attacks and cyber security intrusions, as well as the threat of such incidents, including the failure to maintain the security of personally identifiable information, the associated costs to protect our utility assets, technology systems, and personal information, and the costs to notify affected persons to mitigate their information security concerns and to comply with state notification laws;

• Restrictions imposed by various financing arrangements and regulatory requirements on the ability of our subsidiaries to transfer funds to us in the form of cash dividends, loans or advances, that could prevent us from paying our common stock dividends, taxes, and other expenses, and meeting our debt obligations;

• The risk of financial loss, including increases in bad debt expense, associated with the inability of our customers, counterparties, and affiliates to meet their obligations;

• Changes in the creditworthiness of the counterparties with whom we have contractual arrangements, including participants in the energy trading markets and fuel suppliers and transporters;

• The financial performance of ATC and its corresponding contribution to our earnings;

• The investment performance of our employee benefit plan assets, as well as unanticipated changes in related actuarial assumptions, which could impact future funding requirements;

• Factors affecting the employee workforce, including loss of key personnel, internal restructuring, work stoppages, and collective bargaining agreements and negotiations with union employees;

• Advances in technology, and related legislation or regulation supporting the use of that technology, that result in competitive disadvantages and create the potential for impairment of existing assets;

• Risks related to our non-utility renewable energy facilities, including unfavorable weather, the ability to replace expiring long-term PPAs under acceptable terms, and the availability of reliable interconnection and electricity grids;

• The risk associated with the values of goodwill, other intangible assets, long-lived assets, and equity method investments, and their possible impairment;

• Potential business strategies to acquire and dispose of assets or businesses, which cannot be assured to be completed timely or within budgets, and legislative or regulatory restrictions or caps on non-utility acquisitions, investments or projects, including the State of Wisconsin's public utility holding company law;

• The timing and outcome of any audits, disputes, and other proceedings related to taxes;

• The effect of accounting pronouncements issued periodically by standard-setting bodies; and

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• Other considerations disclosed elsewhere herein and in other reports we file with the SEC or in other publicly disseminated written documents.

Except as may be required by law, we expressly disclaim any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

2021 Form 10-K			3			WEC Energy Group, Inc.

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PART I