Wisconsin Energy, Wisconsin Electric Declare Quarterly Dividends; Raises Quarterly Rate by $0.04

The boards of directors of Wisconsin Energy Corporation WEC and Wisconsin Electric Power Company today declared quarterly dividends. Wisconsin Energy The Wisconsin Energy board of directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of 30 cents a share on the company's common stock consistent with the plan the board announced at its December 2011 meeting.  This represents an increase of 4 cents a share over the current quarterly rate and raises the annual rate from $1.04 to $1.20 a share. The dividend is payable March 1, 2012, to stockholders of record on Feb. 14, 2012.  This marks the 278th consecutive quarter – dating back to 1942 – that the company will have paid a dividend to its stockholders.