Jonathan Patz Publishes Opinion Piece in Milwaukee Journal Sentinel about Public Health Threats of Proposed We Energies Gas Plants
Gas power plants, in addition to emitting greenhouse gases, pollute the air with nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, particulate matter and volatile organic compounds
Jonathan Patz
Special to Milwaukee Journal Sentinel | Link to Original Article
We Energies is proposing a new fossil gas plant in Paris, Wisconsin. If approved, the proposed project would bring seven new gas-fired Reciprocating Internal Combustion Engines units generating up to 128 MW of electricity (which typically powers around 80,000 homes) to Kenosha County as early as late summer 2026.
Gas power plants, in addition to emitting greenhouse gases, pollute the air with nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, particulate matter and volatile organic compounds. These pollutants are harmful to health and worsen conditions like heart disease and asthma while increasing the risk of premature death.
Fine particulate matter is one of the top environmental health concerns as it is estimated to contribute to as many as 8.9 million premature deaths per year globally. Researchers at PSE Healthy Energy found that health costs from the Paris gas plant would be $25.4 million to $46.7 million annually.
We Energies said the new gas plants are necessary to meet the energy demands of new intensive users, such as a Microsoft data center that is currently under construction. The irony of that rationale is Microsoft’s 2020 commitment to being carbon negative (even beyond carbon neutral) by 2030 and by 2050 to remove the equivalent amount of all carbon dioxide the company has emitted either directly or by electricity consumption since it was founded in 1975. We Energies expects the new gas plant would operate for at least 30 years, a timeline that exceeds Wisconsin's clean energy and public health goals and imposes unnecessary costs for Wisconsin residents.
Power plant will harm health of Wisconsin's most vulnerable
The public health threat is particularly critical for our state’s most vulnerable. The young, still-developing lungs of children in Wisconsin, especially those living in urban areas such as Southeast Wisconsin, are particularly susceptible to asthma and respiratory issues linked to poor air quality. Seniors, many of whom suffer from chronic health conditions, are at increased risk of heart attacks, strokes and other serious health problems exacerbated by air pollution. And those individuals living near this new facility will bear the brunt of the public health risks.
In 2024, the EPA unveiled a new package of standards for existing coal- and new gas-fired plants to help curb climate pollution and do more to protect public health and the environment. While coal-fired power plants are some of the dirtiest energy producers in the U.S., methane gas-fired plants are also major contributors to pollution.
New research on methane leaks finds that the emissions associated with extracting and transporting methane are a serious threat to the environment. Transitioning to renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar, emit little to no greenhouse gases, are readily available and in most cases cheaper than coal, oil or gas.
We Energies continues to prioritize fossil fuels
We Energies energy mix to date shows that they continue to prioritize fossil fuels, with less than 3% clean energy (2023 data). While Wisconsin has been making progress transitioning away from fossil fuel-fired power plants to renewable energy sources, building new natural gas facilities that fail to meet the moment will have lasting public health consequences.
While it’s true there may be some challenges with clean energy sources to satisfy load demands of data centers or other businesses that require consistent power 24 hours a day without sufficient battery storage, the risks of adding new fossil-fuel burning plants to the energy mix in Wisconsin require seeking alternatives with less risk to the public. The stakes are high, but so are the rewards. A healthier Wisconsin is within our reach if we commit to reducing health-harming pollutants from our power sector and communities.
Let’s ask We Energies to consider renewable energy sources for the new power plants to energize southeastern Wisconsin. Doing so is not just an environmental imperative — it’s a public health necessity.
Jonathan Patz, is the Vilas Distinguished Professor & John P. Holton Chair of Health and the Environment at the Nelson Institute & Department of Population Health Sciences at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He is an elected member of the National Academy of Medicine and former Health Co-chair for the first U.S. National Climate Assessment. He also served as a Lead Author for the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) which shared the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize.