Materials, Supplies, and Inventories (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Sep. 30, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Materials, supplies, and inventories
Natural gas in storage	$ 298.5	$ 284.1
Materials and supplies	209.3	219.2
Fossil fuel	146.5	183.7
Total	654.3	$ 687.0
PGL and NSG
Materials, supplies, and inventories
Temporary LIFO liquidation debit	$ 0.0

Carrying amount as of the balance sheet date of merchandise, goods, commodities, or supplies relating to a source of usable power held for future sale or future use in manufacturing or production process.

Name:	us-gaap_EnergyRelatedInventory
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Carrying amount as of the balance sheet date of natural gas in storage, which is a mixture of gases (liquefied or otherwise), used for fuel and manufacturing purposes, which is ready for sale.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_EnergyRelatedInventoryNaturalGasInStorage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of fossil fuel included in inventory classified as other.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_EnergyRelatedInventoryOtherFossilFuel
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_InventoryLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Aggregated amount of unprocessed materials to be used in manufacturing or production process and supplies that will be consumed. This amount is net of valuation reserves and adjustments.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(6)(a)(4))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 330
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (SAB Topic 5.BB)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27011343&loc=d3e100047-122729

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(6)(a)(5))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_InventoryRawMaterialsAndSuppliesNetOfReserves
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Represents the difference between current projected replacement cost and the LIFO cost for quantities of natural gas temporarily withdrawn from storage.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	wec_TemporaryLIFOliquidationdebit
Namespace Prefix:	wec_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	dei_LegalEntityAxis=wec_PGLAndNSGMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: