Wisconsin Citizens Utility Board urges customers to speak up on proposed electric rate hikes

(The Center Square) – Wisconsin’s utility watchdog is asking people to speak up about the proposed rate hikes from We Energies and WPS.

The Citizens Utility Board is asking people to “be heard” at We Energies’ rate hike meeting Thursday in Milwaukee, and WPS’ public hearing Oct. 10 in Ashwaubenon.

“Now is the time for customers paying the bills to speak out and tell the regulators what they think of utility price increases,” CUB Executive Director Tom Content said. “There’s power in numbers – and the more people participate, the better.”

We Energies is asking state regulators for $605 million in rate increases over the next two years for its electric and natural gas utilities.

The request for 2025 and 2026 comes after We Energies received a double-digit hike for 2023 and 2024.

“That amounts to a 19% increase for a typical customer, whose monthly electric bill would swell to $152 by 2026,” Content added. “When you add in the increase that took effect over the last two years, customers are facing a 36% jump from 2022 to 2026.”

Wisconsin Public Service is asking for $220 million in increases over the next two years for its electric and natural gas utilities. WPS also just got a double-digit rate hike for 2023 and 2024.

“That amounts to a 20% increase for a typical customer, whose monthly electric bill would rise to $127 by 2026,” Content said. “Adding in the increase from the last two years, customers are facing a 28% jump from 2022 to 2026.”

Both utilities have said they need to raise their rates to cover the cost of inflation, or to pay for the switch to green energy.

CUB has told the Wisconsin Public Service Commission that customers are simply paying too much for that transition.

“The affordability challenge cries out for more balance between shareholders and customers,” Content told the PSC.

Content said both We Energies and WPS are seeing “outsized gains” and “record earnings growth” as their customers are seeing higher utility bills.