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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.
Empowerment: CUB will help you take action and share your thoughts with Wisconsin government officials.
Access: CUB can help your organization and employees save resources and money.
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.
COVID-19: How CUB is Responding
Posted: April 8, 2020 by Tom Content
We all face challenges from the COVID-19 crisis. Here at CUB we think worrying about your utility service should not be one of them. And, thanks to quick work and cooperation from Governor Tony Evers and our utilities, Wisconsin customers don’t fear being shut off or incurring penalties or big charges to re-connect their service.
At CUB, the work our staff has performed for the last 40 years goes on.
We’re operating a bit differently now, all working remotely from our homes, but we’re still at work to protect the interests of Wisconsin’s residential and small business customers. And we’ve worked to provide resources specific to COVID19 on a new page on our website. Check it out at www.cubwi.org/covid19.
Gov. Evers has issued two executive orders essentially barring utility disconnections for residential and business customers and directing utilities to reconnect customers who are shut off. These actions apply to electric, natural gas and water utilities across the state. The second order enables waivers of late fees and allows for reconnections without paying the utility a deposit.
These are all important steps to help keep a roof over Wisconsinites’ heads and enable them to focus on their livelihoods and taking the proper social distancing steps so Wisconsin can “flatten the curve” under Evers’ #SaferAtHome designation.
CUB is pleased that all the state’s major utilities – We Energies, Wisconsin Public Service, Xcel Energy (Northern States Power), Alliant Energy (Wisconsin Power & Light) and Madison Gas & Electric – have joined utilities across the country in making commitments not to shut off customers during this critical time.
The PSC has opened two cases related to the COVID-19 pandemic, and CUB is involved in both. One involves accounting issues linked to costs utilities are spending during the crisis. The other deals with a variety of related issues.
The challenges with the COVID-19 novel coronavirus are complex, dangerous and thorny.
Some key points:
CUB is continuing to monitor this crisis and the actions of utilities across the state and the nation.
Through the National Association of State Utility Consumer Advocates, CUB is also monitoring how utility regulators and advocates across the country are responding. It’s gratifying that utilities are taking steps to re-connect customers who are shut off, given the severity of the public health emergency.
On behalf of the CUB Board of Directors and Corey and Rich on the CUB team, I hope you are staying safe, managing your way through the crisis and reaching out to those in need.
Be well,
Tom Content
Category: CUB News, Uncategorized, Utility News Tags: COVID-19, CUB News