On 28 June, representatives of 7 of the Basque Energy Cluster companies (Ariadna, Arteche, IK4-Ikerlan, Ingeteam, Indar, Ormazábal, Tecnalia), and the Basque Energy Cluster itself, visited the We Energies headquarters in Milwaukee (Wisconsin).

WE Energies is one of the 7 main "Utilities" integrating WEC Energy Group, which operates in Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan and Minnesota, supplying electricity and gas to 4.4 million clients. The scope of action of the group is deployed throughout 112,000 Km of electric power distribution lines, 70,000 Km of gas transmission and distribution pipelines and 8.8 GW of operating power.

The meeting was presided by representatives of We Energies and Milwaukee 7, the Regional Agency for Economic Development of the South-east of Wisconsin and Alex Arriola, General Manager of SPRI, attended the meeting.

The We Energies Electricity Grid Investment and Planning Managers presented the current balance of the company, providing the most relevant data, identifying the main challenges in the medium term and outlined the projected and current investments, including an estimate of 1,500 million dollars for the 2016-2020 period (20% generation, 20% electric distribution and 60% gas distribution) and an estimate of 220 million dollars within the 2014-2018 period to modernise the distribution network in the North of Wisconsin, introducing a certain level of automation and improving its reliability.

After the meeting with We Energies, the group toured the INGETEAM facilities, in production since 2011 and with 175 employees, where they were welcomed by Adolfo Rebollo (CEO Ingeteam, S.A), Aitor Sotes (CEO Ingeteam Inc.), Alex Belaustegi (CEO Indar), Alberto Guerrero (Exec. VP Ingeteam Inc.) and Teresa Madariaga (President of Ingeteam).

The tour took place in the manufacturing area of power converters, mainly focusing on solar, wind power and marine power markets (with the US Navy as one of its main clients), and the generator manufacturing area, the only serial production centre of this type of components for wind power generators in the USA, with the capacity to manufacture over 500 units per year.