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

    <schemaVersion>X0304</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2011-09-20</periodOfReport>

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

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001250991</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>LEVERETT ALLEN L</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>Executive Vice President</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2011-09-20</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>61020</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>16.7175</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>89782</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2011-09-20</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>61020</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>32.00</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>28762</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>2508.472</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </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>16.7175</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2011-09-20</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>61020</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2004-12-31</value>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2014-01-02</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>61020</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">This transaction was effected pursuant to a Rule 10b5-1 trading plan adopted by the reporting person on August 4, 2011.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">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 September 20, 2011.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">By action of the Compensation Committee on December 28, 2004, all options granted to employees of the Issuer, including the reporting person, in 2002, 2003 and 2004, and not otherwise exercisable, became exercisable as of December 31, 2004.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Joshua M. Erickson, as Attorney-in-Fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2011-09-22</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
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X0304
4
2011-09-20
0000783325
WISCONSIN ENERGY CORP
WEC
0001250991
LEVERETT ALLEN L
231 WEST MICHIGAN STREET
MILWAUKEE
WI
53203
0
1
0
0
Executive Vice President
Common Stock
2011-09-20
4
M
0
61020
16.7175
A
89782
D
Common Stock
2011-09-20
4
S
0
61020
32.00
D
28762
D
Common Stock
2508.472
I
ERSP
Stock Option (right to buy)
16.7175
2011-09-20
4
M
0
61020
0
D
2004-12-31
2014-01-02
Common Stock
61020
0
D
This transaction was effected pursuant to a Rule 10b5-1 trading plan adopted by the reporting person on August 4, 2011.
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 September 20, 2011.
By action of the Compensation Committee on December 28, 2004, all options granted to employees of the Issuer, including the reporting person, in 2002, 2003 and 2004, and not otherwise exercisable, became exercisable as of December 31, 2004.
/s/ Joshua M. Erickson, as Attorney-in-Fact
2011-09-22