We Energies, a provider of electricity, natural gas, and steam services to customers in Wisconsin and Michigan, plans to construct a $250 million biomass fuel plant in Rothschild, Wisconsin. The company says it will produce 50 megawatts of electricity using wood, waste wood, and sawdust at the Domtar Corporation's paper mill site and will support that company's operations as well. The project, which is subject to approval by state regulators, would provide 150 new jobs and 400 temporary construction jobs. "Forest sustainability has long been a hallmark of Domtar's operations in Rothschild, and we're delighted to tap into this expertise as we expand our production of renewable energy," says Gale Klappa, We Energies' president and CEO. Under Wisconsin state law, utilities must use renewable energy to meet 10 percent of the electricity needs of their retail customers by 2015. If approved, the plant is expected to be completed during the first half of 2013.
