Oct 14, 2024, 7:44 AM CST
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GREEN BAY, WI – (WGBW & WISS) – In April of this year, Wisconsin Public Service (WPS) asked the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (PSC) for a utility rate increase of more than $200 million dollars for customers in northern and eastern Wisconsin in 2025 and 2026. The Citizens Utility Board (CUB) is urging people to make public comments on the rate hike online.
How much is too much?
Tom Content is the president of CUB. He describes the organization is a non-partisan, non-profit organization that is the designated consumer advocate for residential, non-profit, and small business energy consumers in Wisconsin. Content said WPS is requesting an 8.5% increase in electricity rates in 2025 and another 4.9% increase in 2026. Content says that way outpaces inflation.
“Inflation is supposed to be about 2 and a half percent or less in the next two years,” said Content. “So this is a big jump compared to inflation. We’re looking at sizable increases.”
Content said that the “energy burden” or the amount of the household income that should go to energy bills is at 6 percent or less to be considered affordable. If the PSC approves the utility rate increase the energy burden for households in Northeast Wisconsin will increase to about could soar to double digits.
“There are a lot of people in Northeast Wisconsin that are already struggling to make ends meet and struggling to pay their utility bills. ‘How much is too much?’ Is kind of question,” Content said.
Content concedes that some rate increases are warranted, as WPS has been expanding infrastructure in Wisconsin. They’ve built solar projects, energy storage projects, and a natural gas plant in Wausau.
“Those things have to be paid for, but there are issues where we can find savings,” said Content. “Should the rate payers be funding management bonuses? No. We don’t think so.”
To make your written public comment online for the WPS rate increases visit here. Today is the last day to make those comments online.
