FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: November 22, 2023
Contact: Cassie Steiner, cassie.steiner@sierraclub.org
Energy burden alleviation advocates applaud Public Service Commission scrutiny, Call for better solutions from We Energies
Madison, WI – Yesterday, the Wisconsin Public Service Commission (PSC) ruled on We Energies’ limited rate case reopener. Similar to other utility rate cases this year, the Commissioners granted a rate increase to the utility, but one smaller than originally requested. This decision comes after We Energies’ rate increase of 11% that was approved last year and went into effect in 2023. Sierra Club Wisconsin, 350 Milwaukee, Citizen Action of Wisconsin, Wisconsin Green Muslims, Healthy Climate Wisconsin and other advocacy groups appreciate the Commissioners' thoughtful consideration on each item in the reopener.
Throughout the meeting, Commissioners acknowledged their responsibility to balance utility needs with those of ratepayers and stressed the need to address affordability for all customers.
This rate increase has been met with widespread opposition, with more than 250 additional public comments submitted and more than 3 hours of public testimony at the two public hearing sessions earlier this year. In 2022, 1,180 people submitted public comments on We Energies’ 11% rate increase; only 12 of those comments were in favor of the increased rates. Commenters called for We Energies to fund weatherization and energy efficiency programs to offset the impacts of the rates.
Across the state, hundreds of people have spoken out against higher energy burdens, from submitting comments and testifying against the rate increase, to protesting outside of We Energies headquarters to call on the monopoly utility to address the concerns of local residents. Affordability, energy efficiency, energy burden, and low income payment programs will all be major issues in 2024 PSC dockets, including the 2024 rate cases, the Low Income Forgiveness Tool (LIFT) and the Percentage of Income Payment Program (PIPP) dockets.
We Energies claimed the request for the increase was because it has been building more clean energy, but the company is still running expensive coal plants and investing in new fossil gas infrastructure. Earlier this month, the utility received a D grade in Sierra Clubs’ Dirty Truth About Utilities' Climate Pledges report.
“We applaud the commissioners for taking public and party testimony seriously and weighing options to shrink the rate increases requested by We Energies. As We Energies continues to build more costly fossil gas facilities, and as people struggle to pay their energy bills, we hope that the commissioners continue to look for effective ways to meet the needs of customers. We are already paying for poor fossil fuel investments through high rates, air and water pollution and climate change. We Energies needs to invest in more affordable clean energy, storage and energy efficiency solutions,” said Cassie Steiner, Senior Campaign Coordinator, Sierra Club - Wisconsin Chapter.
“Although we are glad to see PSC reduce the proposed rate increase by We Energies, we believe the PSC had a long way to go to hold the large highly profitable utility accountable for making electricity and heating truly affordable for low income people and communities of color,” said Robert Kraig, Executive Director of Citizen Action of Wisconsin. “They next critical steps are for We Energies to require a Percent of Income Payment System (PIP) that caps the energy burden than any household is charged, and for the utility to holds up its end of the bargain by initiating a rapid conversion to renewable energy, while making residential home energy conservation upgrades and distributed renewal energy such as roof top solar truly available to low income households, especially those in the African American and Latino community who have both the lowest income and the least energy efficient housing.
"Our neighbors and patients shouldn’t have to choose between their medicines, feeding their families, and paying their energy bills. High utility bills can put adolescents at five times the risk for mental health problems and doubles the rate of respiratory issues. Solutions like a Percentage of Income Payment Program and renewable energy have already been successful in other states. It's time to bring those solutions to Milwaukee so we can immediately improve health, access to affordable energy, and clean air," said Abby Novinska-Lois, Executive Director of Healthy Climate Wisconsin.
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The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 3.5 million members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.
Citizen Action of Wisconsin is statewide social justice membership organizing fighting for social, economic, environmental, and racial justice.
Wisconsin Green Muslims is a grassroots environmental justice group, formed in 2005, connecting faith, environmental justice, sustainability, and healing through education and service. https://wisconsingreenmuslims.org/
350MKE is the Milwaukee chapter of 350.org, an international movement of ordinary people working to end the age of fossil fuels and build a world of community-led renewable energy for all. https://350milwaukee.weebly.com
Healthy Climate Wisconsin is an organization led by nurses, doctors, healthcare workers, and public health leaders across Wisconsin. Healthy Climate Wisconsin protects the health and quality of life of patients and communities by advancing climate and health equity. Every Wisconsinite, regardless of race, income, gender, or ability, should have clean air, safe water, and a stable climate to live a vibrant, healthy life.