SUPPLEMENTAL CASH FLOW INFORMATION (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2016	Dec. 31, 2016
Supplemental Cash Flow Information
Cash (paid) for interest, net of amount capitalized	$ (258.2)	$ (260.7)
Cash received for income taxes, net	7.3	11.7
Significant noncash transactions:
Accounts payable related to construction costs	172.7	113.1
Increase (decease) in restricted cash from the sale (purchase) of investments held in the rabbi trust	4.6	(4.5)
Portion of Bostco real estate holdings sale financed with note receivable	7.0	0.0
Amortization of deferred revenue	18.7	$ 18.5
Long-term restricted cash	$ 20.4		$ 33.6

Future cash outflow to pay for purchases of fixed assets that have occurred.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 5
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=98513485&loc=d3e4332-108586

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=98513485&loc=d3e4313-108586

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=98513485&loc=d3e4304-108586

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_CapitalExpendituresIncurredButNotYetPaid
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of revenue recognized that was previously reported as deferred or unearned revenue.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 605
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SAB TOPIC 13.A.4(a).Q1 Response))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=65893310&loc=d3e214044-122780

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DeferredRevenueRevenueRecognized1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The amount of cash paid during the current period to foreign, federal, state, and local authorities as taxes on income, net of any cash received during the current period as refunds for the overpayment of taxes.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=98513485&loc=d3e4297-108586

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeTaxesPaidNet
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of cash paid, after deduction of cash paid for capitalized interest, for interest. Includes, but is not limited to, payment to settle zero-coupon bond for accreted interest of debt discount and debt instrument with insignificant coupon interest rate in relation to effective interest rate of borrowing attributable to accreted interest of debt discount.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_InterestPaidNet
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

The value of the noncash (or part noncash) consideration received in a transaction. Noncash is defined as transactions during a period that do not result in cash receipts or cash payments in the period. "Part noncash" refers to that portion of a transaction not resulting in cash receipts or cash payments in the period.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OtherSignificantNoncashTransactionValueOfConsiderationReceived1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of cash and cash equivalents restricted as to withdrawal or usage, classified as noncurrent. Cash includes, but is not limited to, currency on hand, demand deposits with banks or financial institutions, and other accounts with general characteristics of demand deposits. Cash equivalents include, but are not limited to, short-term, highly liquid investments that are both readily convertible to known amounts of cash and so near their maturity that they present insignificant risk of changes in value because of changes in interest rates.

+ 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(17))
-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 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 4
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=98514028&loc=d3e3044-108585

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=82887183&loc=d3e6812-107765

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 8
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=98513485&loc=SL98516268-108586

+ Details

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

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Restricted cash used to purchase investments in Rabbi Trust

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	wec_RestrictedcashusedtopurchaseinvestmentsinRabbiTrust
Namespace Prefix:	wec_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration