<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0304</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2012-01-03</periodOfReport>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000783325</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>WISCONSIN ENERGY CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>WEC</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001278949</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>RAPPE KRISTINE A</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>231 WEST MICHIGAN STREET</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>MILWAUKEE,</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>WI</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>53203</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Sr. VP, Chief Admin. Officer</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2012-01-03</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>2637</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>6846.2731</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2012-01-03</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>F</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>252</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>34.875</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>6594.2731</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2012-01-04</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>F</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>328</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>34.445</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>6266.2731</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>16787.421</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>ERSP</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Option (Right to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>34.875</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2012-01-03</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>33345</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2015-01-03</value>
                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2022-01-03</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>33345</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>33345</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Includes shares acquired pursuant to a dividend reinvestment feature of Wisconsin Energy Corporation's Stock Plus Investment Plan in transactions exempt from Section 16 pursuant to Rule 16a-11.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">On March 1, 2011, the common stock of Wisconsin Energy Corporation split 2-for-1, resulting in the reporting person's ownership of 2,104.5259 additional shares of directly held common stock and 8,201.613 additional shares of common stock indirectly held in Wisconsin Energy Corporation's Employee Retirement Savings Plan (ERSP).</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Includes shares acquired under Wisconsin Energy Corporation's Employee Retirement Savings Plan (ERSP) in transactions exempt from Section 16(b) pursuant to Rule 16b-3(c) and exempt from reporting pursuant to Rule 16a-3(f)(1)(i)(B).  The number of shares in the ERSP attributable to any one participant varies with the price of the Common Stock.  The information in this report is based on a plan statement dated as of December 31, 2011.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">Options vest 100% on the date indicated.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Joshua M. Erickson, as Attorney-in-Fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2012-01-05</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
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X0304
4
2012-01-03
0000783325
WISCONSIN ENERGY CORP
WEC
0001278949
RAPPE KRISTINE A
231 WEST MICHIGAN STREET
MILWAUKEE,
WI
53203
0
1
0
0
Sr. VP, Chief Admin. Officer
Common Stock
2012-01-03
4
A
0
2637
0
A
6846.2731
D
Common Stock
2012-01-03
4
F
0
252
34.875
D
6594.2731
D
Common Stock
2012-01-04
4
F
0
328
34.445
D
6266.2731
D
Common Stock
16787.421
I
ERSP
Stock Option (Right to buy)
34.875
2012-01-03
4
A
0
33345
0
A
2015-01-03
2022-01-03
Common Stock
33345
33345
D
Includes shares acquired pursuant to a dividend reinvestment feature of Wisconsin Energy Corporation's Stock Plus Investment Plan in transactions exempt from Section 16 pursuant to Rule 16a-11.
On March 1, 2011, the common stock of Wisconsin Energy Corporation split 2-for-1, resulting in the reporting person's ownership of 2,104.5259 additional shares of directly held common stock and 8,201.613 additional shares of common stock indirectly held in Wisconsin Energy Corporation's Employee Retirement Savings Plan (ERSP).
Includes shares acquired under Wisconsin Energy Corporation's Employee Retirement Savings Plan (ERSP) in transactions exempt from Section 16(b) pursuant to Rule 16b-3(c) and exempt from reporting pursuant to Rule 16a-3(f)(1)(i)(B).  The number of shares in the ERSP attributable to any one participant varies with the price of the Common Stock.  The information in this report is based on a plan statement dated as of December 31, 2011.
Options vest 100% on the date indicated.
/s/ Joshua M. Erickson, as Attorney-in-Fact
2012-01-05