For CUB 2022 was a year of collaboration, much media attention, and additional savings for customers of Wisconsin utilities. The Citizens Utility Board of Wisconsin annual report for 2022 is out and can be viewed online here or by clicking on the photo below.
We made progress on reducing fixed charges on customers’ bills. The PSC sided with CUB and reduced the fixed charge on We Energies customers’ monthly electricity bills by 6%, from $16 a month to $15 a month starting in January 2023. For WPS, the PSC agreed to a nearly 15% reduction, more than $3 a month. The WPS fixed charge in 2023 is $17.92 per month, down from $21 per month last year.
Aggressive testimony from our regulatory team helped convince the PSC to lower the profit levels for We Energies and WPS. This resulted in savings of $23 million in 2023 and 2024. The report includes our annual “Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down” recap of the year’s big cases.
CUB joined Vernon County Energy District and Walnut Way Conservation Corp. at workshops hosted by the PSC to ensure the consumer’s voice was heard as the state considers a shift to a better regulatory model, performance-based regulation.
Our six-part webinar series alerted residential and small business customers to the threats of rising energy costs, the challenges of the clean energy transition and ways to save on energy bills.
Our regulatory team consisting of Director of Regulatory Affairs Corey Singletary, General Counsel Cara Coburn Faris and Regulatory Strategist Steve Kihm was joined by Utility Analyst Ted Callon in the fall of 2022. Ted’s addition will allow us to achieve even more savings for you in the years ahead.
CUB’s Board of Directors is seeking nominations for volunteers to serve on the CUB Board. If you are interested, please contact me at content@cubwi.org before Oct 31, 2023.
Other highlights you’ll see as you page through the annual report:
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- In We Energies and WPS rate cases CUB was able to help save customers nearly $40 million in 2023 and nearly $40 million in 2024.
- Through our CUB Prints blog, CUB Tracks podcast, and media outreach we spread the word about these big rate cases resulting in broader participation by the public and a surge in media interest. CUB’s point of view was heard in more than 100 print, radio and TV news stories.
- CUB convinced the PSC to resume in-person public hearings on rate cases in Milwaukee and Green Bay last fall. Over 1,700 customers commented on the We Energies and WPS rate hikes.
The utilities never stop trying to get more money out of your pockets. They want to increase rates by more than $500 million in 2024. Our regulatory team is currently finding ways to bring that down as much as possible.
I invite you to check out the annual report for yourself. And please consider renewing your CUB membership or becoming a member today. Thank you.
