Hi, I'm Denise, and this is your civic minute.
Do you know who sets your electric rate?
It's not the utility company.
It's the Public Service Commission.
Three people appointed by the governor
who decides what utilities in Wisconsin can charge.
They're one of the most powerful groups.
Most people have never heard of, and here's how it works.
Your utility is a regulated monopoly.
You can't buy electricity from anyone else.
In exchange, they can't raise prices without PSC approval.
When they want a rate increase, they file a case.
The PSC reviews it, holds hearings, and decides.
Right now, that process matters more than ever.
Wisconsin utilities have filed for billions
and new rate increases driven in part by data centers.
The PSC is deciding who pays, the tech companies, or you.
The Citizens Utility Board, C-U-B-W-I-DOT org,
track these cases and advocates for residential customers.
If your bill is going up, they're worth knowing about.
That's your civic minute.
Find more at civicmedia.us.
Find more at civicmedia.us.