June 25 (Reuters) - We Energies, a unit of utility WEC

Energy ( WEC ), plans to extend the operating period of units 7

and 8 at the Oak Creek coal-fired power plant in Wisconsin

through the end of 2026, it said on Wednesday.

The plant, which was scheduled to retire at the end of 2025,

is now expected to have the units available to meet high energy

demand.

"Just this month, national grid experts raised the alarm of

elevated risks of power supply shortages and price spikes due to

plant closures and increasing energy demand in the Upper

Midwest," We Energies president Mike Hooper said.

In April, U.S. President Donald Trump signed executive

orders to boost domestic coal production to cater to rising

power demand, including from data centers needed for artificial

intelligence technologies.

Trump's executive orders could potentially delay the closure

of coal-fired power plants and encourage the restart of 102

recently shut coal-fired units, according to the Institute for

Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA).

We Energies also said it is actively planning more than

6,300 megawatt (MW) of new generation using natural gas, wind

and solar over the next five years to meet customer needs and

improve grid stability.