Wausau native providing power during Co-op

Platteville, Wis.- University of Wisconsin-Platteville junior to be Rachel Plautz is involved in almost every pitch for the Pioneer softball program.  The catcher from Wausau, Wisconsin and 2018 D.C. Everest graduate appeared in 36 games as a freshman and started all four games of 2020 before the season was cancelled due to COVID-19.  With the season canceled, Plautz kept her focus on the academic side and started her co-op with Wisconsin Public Service (WPS) working mainly at the Weston Power Plant (WPP).

Weston employs about 165 people.  Staff consist of operators, maintenance staff, supervisors, engineers, stockroom personnel, administrative staff and planners.  Weston Power Plant is a part of the generation fleet at WEC Energy Group; which employs more than 7,000 people.  WEC Energy Group operates WPS, WE Energies, People Gas, North Shore Gas, Minnesota Energy Resources, Michigan Gas Utilities, Upper Michigan Energy Resources and Bluewater Gas Storage.

WPS have a long history of partnering with engineering students with their co-op and internship programs.  Through the co-op and internship programs WPS created a strong connection with UW-Platteville. "We have had several engineering interns from UW-Platteville," principal engineer Matt Anklam said.  "We also have a number of full-time engineers on staff who are UW-Platteville alumni, including a former plant manager.  We traditionally have focused on UW-Platteville, UW-Madison and Michigan Technological University for recruiting our co-op and intern participants, although we have had some from other schools as well."

Plautz was one of the UW-Platteville students recruited for a co-op.  With the co-op, Plautz will spend her summer and fall semester working at the power plant.  "At my co-op, I usually work with the other engineers, we often go into the power plant and look at problems or systems that are currently not working," she said.  "I am also giving projects that I am supposed to head up to make improvements on or fix with the support of my colleagues when I have questions."

Plautz's love of math and science in high school led her to the engineering program at UW-Platteville.  "The design application of engineering really appealed to me," she said.  "I chose mechanical engineering specifically because I can do so much with it; it can take me anywhere.  It has a lot of opportunity and flexibility; it also allows me to help people by making processes more efficient or designing better goods."

In a power plant, there is a lot of moving parts and each day a new problem can arise, or an old system needs to be upgraded.  "She is leading the effort to replace a damaged fire hydrant," Anklam said,  "including specifying components and procuring labor to excavate and install the new hydrant.  She is also actively pursuing the upgrade to a critical chemical application system that will help to keep one of our units operating.  She is looking at the application and specifying the nozzles, pumps, valves, regulators and controls for the system."

Plautz just finished her second year of classroom learning, but it has been invaluable during the co-op. "Knowledge I have gained in materials, thermodynamics and chemistry classes come in handy every day," she said. 

She also leans on skills she picked up on the softball diamond. "The work ethic and communication skills I have learned have helped me tremendously," she said.  "Being a student-athlete helped me get this co-op."

"I look for excellence in those I recruit," Anklam said. "Excellence in one area, like sports, is a predictor of excellence in other areas.  I am pleased with Rachel's work at the plant, she is hard working and learns quickly."

Graduation is a few years away and Plautz and has some options on the path she will take. "I am not completely sure yet," she said.  "I hope this co-op leads in a direction.  I will be minoring in sustainably renewable energy systems, so I am looking into a career in that field as well."

The strong connection with WPS and UW-Platteville continues, and Plautz is just the latest to be able to take advantage of what she has learned in the classroom and build on it with hands on training.  "She gets to work with experienced engineers to learn how to do all these things," Anklam said.  "This is a great practical application of the theory she is learning at UW-Platteville and amazing real-world experience not available in a classroom."

Plautz will return to campus for the spring semester and her junior year of softball, but she does have advice for students looking at majoring in engineering.  "It is a tremendous commitment," she said.  "If you are determined and passionate about the field it is very enjoyable, the professors are always very helpful and easy to talk with."