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.
November 30, 2007: Ratepayers Should Not Pay For Mistakes at the Oak Creek Plant
Posted: November 30, 2007 by Leah Steinberg
For Immediate Release: November 30, 2007
Ratepayers Should Not Pay For We Energies’ Mistakes
at the Oak Creek Plant
MADISON – The Citizens Utility Board contends that ratepayers should not pay for mistakes associated with the $100 million cooling system for the Oak Creek power plant, currently under construction by We Energies.
Yesterday, a state administrative law judge ruled that the permit issued by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources for the plant’s cooling system, which extends nearly two miles into Lake Michigan, needs to be modified to meet tougher environmental standards. If the cooling system is unable to meet the environmental standards of the modified permit, We Energies will have to make major changes to the cooling system, potentially adding $200 million in costs to construct cooling towers.
CUB contends that ratepayers should not be forced to pay more for the cooling system than what We Energies’ projected when the utility received permission in 2003 from the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin to build the power plant.
As a part of its request to increase electric rates by 7% in 2008, currently pending at the PSC, We Energies is requesting $19 million to pay for continued construction of the cooling system. CUB contends that the cost of any additional construction on the cooling system should be at the risk of utility shareholders, given the great uncertainty caused by yesterday’s ruling.
###
Category: Press Releases Tags: WEPCO