Methods, systems, and apparatus for plating a metal onto a work piece with a plating solution having a low oxygen concentration are described. In one aspect, a method includes reducing an oxygen concentration of a plating solution. The plating solution includes about 100 parts per million or less of an accelerator. After reducing the oxygen concentration of the plating solution, a wafer substrate is contacted with the plating solution in a plating cell. The oxygen concentration of the plating solution in the plating cell is about 1 part per million or less. A metal is electroplated with the plating solution onto the wafer substrate in the plating cell. After electroplating the metal onto the wafer substrate, an oxidizing strength of the plating solution is increased.