You have a business to run. It is hard to stay on top of things locally let alone at the Wisconsin Public Service Commission (PSC) where your electric rates are set. That’s where the Citizens Utility Board of Wisconsin comes in. We advocate for all small utility customers from individual citizens to small businesses and farmers for fair, safe and reliable utility service. We monitor the changing energy world and put the utility customer first.
CUB small business members benefit from our team of legislative, utility and communications experts who advocate tirelessly for your business at the Public Service Commission, the state Capitol, in the courts, and at regulatory agencies.
Small Business Membership Benefits:
Advocacy: CUB business membership keeps you up-to-date on issues that matter to you.
- Monthly electronic newsletters highlighting key cases before the PSC, issues before the Legislature, and information to help you control energy costs.
- Action Alerts keep you notified and enable you to get involved, when important decisions are up for hearing/vote.
- CUB works as Your Independent Consumer Voice at the table for small business interests when the PSC sets rates and energy policy.
Empowerment: CUB will help you take action and share your thoughts with Wisconsin government officials.
- Confused by your bill? We can explain it.
- Problem with your utility service and pricing? We will answer questions and help you work with your utility.
- Who makes these decisions anyway? We will show your staff how to interact with the PSC and legislators
Access: CUB can help your organization and employees save resources and money.
- Host a “utility bill clinic” about ways to help residents and businesses save money on their utility bills.
- Promote your support of fair, safe and reliable utility rates with the CUB small business member badge.
Outreach: CUB will help small business members partner with other members and like-minded organizations to bring these issues to the public. CUB staff can answer questions about energy related matters as well as provide free one-on-one utility bill consultations.
Partnership Opportunities: CUB partners with community groups interested in learning about utility issues. We provide presentations on how to understand your utility bills, how the PSC works and how you can get involved. Plus, we can provide information on energy costs you can control. Let us know what you’re interested in, and we’ll do our best to accommodate you.
January 11, 2007: PSC Correctly Rejects Special Rates for ERCO
Posted: January 11, 2007 by Leah Steinberg
For Immediate Release: January 11, 2007
PSC Correctly Rejects Special Rates for ERCO
MADISON – The Citizens Utility Board applauds the decision made today by the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (PSC) to reject the requests by ERCO Worldwide and Wisconsin Power & Light Co. (WPL) to provide ERCO with special deals for lower electricity rates.
The decision came as part the PSC’s proceeding to determine the electricity rates that WPL can charge customers in 2007.
ERCO owns a chemical manufacturing plant in Port Edwards and buys electricity from WPL. ERCO was asking for lower electricity rates so that they could invest in equipment that would reduce emissions of mercury from the Port Edwards facility.
“All three commissioners agreed that the requests for special electricity rates for ERCO would not only be illegal, it would set a bad precedent that would encourage other companies to look for handouts from ratepayers,” said Charlie Higley, executive director. “CUB applauds the PSC for denying ERCO’s request that utility customers pay for pollution control equipment, which is the responsibility of ERCO’s shareholders, not ratepayers. CUB agrees that reducing mercury pollution is an extremely important goal, and we hope that ERCO will continue with its plans to reduce mercury pollution.”
ERCO had asked the PSC to approve a special contract with WPL to lock in a low electric rate that would only increase 4 percent per year, whereas ERCO’s electricity rates have increased on average 10% per year since 1997. This contract would have forced other WPL ratepayers to subsidize ERCO.
Also in this proceeding, WPL had asked the PSC to approve a special electricity rate for ERCO that would force other WPL customers to subsidize ERCO by at least $23 million over the next ten years. The PSC rejected both the ERCO and WPL proposals.
“CUB appreciates the Commission’s decision to defend 100-year-old principles of utility regulation that protect ratepayers from discriminatory deal making between utilities and powerful companies.”
The PSC also decided today that WPL’s electricity rates for 2007 would only increase by about 4 percent, instead of the 17.8 percent increase requested by WPL. Rates will rise less than requested because of lower prices for natural gas, and because all three commissioners agreed to lower the amount of profit that WPL can make selling electricity, another action applauded by CUB.
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Category: Press Releases Tags: ERCO