![]() Several years ago, We Energies committed to refinancing costs linked to its former Pleasant Prairie coal plant to a lower rate, a move that produced savings for customers. That includes the South Oak Creek coal plant in Milwaukee County and the Columbia coal plant in Portage County. In these cases, CUB’s concerned about the impact of more increases on customers struggling to make ends meet.ĬUB will be focused on bringing down high utility profits, reducing high customer fixed charges and finding savings by reining in utility profits on coal plants shutting down next year.Ĭosts linked to coal plants being shut down would still be billed to customers for years to come under the proposal, and the utility would be earning double-digit profit on those plants long after they’re shuttered. exports more natural gas to help meet energy needs in Europe following the Russia invasion of Ukraine. Higher natural gas prices are being forecast as the U.S. We’re concerned about how reliant the utilities are going to continue to be on natural gas at a time when the low prices seen for natural gas appear to be a thing of the past. ![]() Costs linked to solar and energy storage projects as well as natural gas plants the utilities are proposing to buy or build are key drivers for the request. The utilities’ request is linked in part to their transition to shut down coal plants and replace them with other forms of power generation. We need to find savings for customers wherever we can.Īcross all of its electric and natural gas utilities serving eastern Wisconsin, the WEC Energy Group utilities are asking for $475 million in increases to take effect early next year. ![]() This comes at a time when energy prices are already being affected by global market factors that have raised the price of natural gas, home heating and electricity.Īs the advocate for Wisconsin’s residential and small business customers, CUB will be scrutinizing these price increase filings closely. Half of Wisconsin’s utility customers are facing big rate hikes in 2023 after We Energies and Wisconsin Public Service filed proposals Thursday to increase rates by more than 8% and 6%. ![]()
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