Megan Wittman, megan.wittman@sierraclub.org
WISCONSIN – The Wisconsin Public Service Commission (PSC) has approved a rate increase for We Energies customers. We Energies originally proposed increasing residential electric and gas bills by 14-15% over the next two years, which would have totaled $480 million for customers. While the PSC did not grant the full increase, it remains We Energies’ sixth rate hike since 2020. Last year, the company–which is the state’s largest and most profitable monopoly utility–made more than $1 billion in profits, and continues proposing new massive gas plants across the state to power data centers.
The approval follows the PSC’s first step to approve construction permits for the Red Oak Ridge Energy Center in Kenosha County and the Foundry Ridge Energy Center in Walworth County, both of which are planned to power data centers. During the public comment period, the majority of public comments opposed both of these gas plants.
In response, Jadine Sonoda, Campaign Coordinator, released the following statement:
“While we acknowledge the PSC’s scrutiny regarding this increase, it doesn’t change what Wisconsinites already know: We are in an affordability crisis and we all want to keep our hard-earned dollars in our wallets, not shell them out to a company that’s already making record profits. Wisconsinites have long demanded that utilities stop their relentless greed and that the PSC block these efforts. Wisconsin overdue for an affordable clean energy transition to lower costs for families and communities.”
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