The agency that regulates Wisconsin utilities is considering whether to allow We Energies to impose a big rate hike.
We Energies wants to increase customer rates 18% for electricity and 14% for natural gas, over two years.
The Public Service Commission gave residents a chance to weigh in Thursday, Oct. 3, in downtown Milwaukee.
More than three dozen people testified before the panel, while others took their opinions to the street.
We Energies is requesting the rate hike, saying it needs the increase to reliably serve customers. That includes by burying power lines and strengthening the grid against more severe weather. The utility says the hike also will allow it to build infrastructure and meet EPA rules while supporting jobs.
About 60 people who gathered downtown Thursday weren’t buying those arguments. They marched on the sun-drenched autumn day to a hotel where the Public Service Commission hearing was taking place.
Many in the crowd were teens — members of an organization called Action for the Climate Emergency. They called for an end to dependence on fossil fuels and cried out against raising energy rates.
The march started—symbolically—in front of We Energies headquarters.
Utility spokesperson Brendan Conway watched from a nearby picnic table. He says he’s happy people are engaged in the process. But he defended We Energies’ plans saying the utility is working to provide reliable service for its customers.
“This rate filing we have in front of the commission right has $100 million in savings baked in for federal tax credits for clean energy and lower, no fuel costs thanks to the new clean energy we’re bringing online,” Conway says.
Meanwhile, the march transitioned to testimony as students spoke before the panel from the Public Service Commission.
Milwaukee School of Languages senior Marcia Olson stepped forward.
“I do not want my neighbors and classmates to struggle and have to choose between food and power. I do not want my low-income school to have to cancel more school days during heat waves. I do not want farmers to struggle to grow food and pay prices. Please do what is right and deny We Energies rate increases for the people, the planet and the future,” Olson says.
City of Milwaukee resident Hannah Sorensen is a master’s of public health student. She’s seen the impacts that energy bills —at current rates— are already having on people.
“This past summer, I worked at a day camp in a youth center in northwest Milwaukee. I met some amazing, talented, energetic youth. They played hard, but it was hot being in an old building with no air conditioning. We had some fans we were able to bring in, but there were days when the heat really affected kids' ability to participate, especially those with underlying conditions, and I could see the heat affected everyone’s focus. With rising utility rates, many families in this and surrounding community cannot afford to cool their homes during heat waves,” Sorensen says.
But John Hill wanted to talk about the good that he says We Energies is doing for students. Hill is director of college and career readiness with Milwaukee Public Schools.
“We Energies is growing the next generation of diverse and highly skilled utility technicians through its innovative internship and youth apprenticeship programs for high school students. In many cases the programs are live changing for our students. Not only does this partnership increase the diversity of the company workforce, it opens the door to high paying careers in trades for students who otherwise might not have known they existed,” Hall says.
Terry McGowan painted an equally bright picture for current and future jobs thanks to We Energies. McGowan represents the heavy equipment operators of Local 139.
“As one of the building trades, we’ve been building these facilities for years, but this solar energy is taking off. Right now, our apprenticeship program is over 1,000 apprentices. I never in my world would have thought that we would see over 1,000 apprentices and most of them are being trained on solar farms. I wholeheartedly support what We Energies is doing. They have wholeheartedly supported the working people throughout Wisconsin, especially in this southeastern area. Thereby, I fully support what they are applying for from the PSC,” McGowan says.
More people in the often-packed hearing room shared the opinion of Keviea Guiden. She’ energy burden organizer with Citizen Action of Wisconsin.
“If We Energies is allotted an 18.5% increase with the prior increase that was implemented on January of 2023, that will put homeowners and low-income families at a rate of over 30% of our annual income,” Guiden says.
Guiden not only wants the PSC to deny We Energies’ request. She’s part of a growing coalition that’s been pushing for a rate cap.
"We were asking for 6%, but with this new increase that We Energies is asking for, hell, we should just close the disparity gap and cap it at no more than 2%," Guiden says.
The Public Service Commission says all comments made at hearings, like the one in Milwaukee on Oct. 3, will factor into the PSC’s decision.
And if you’d like to add your two cents, the deadline for comments to the Public Service Commission is Monday, Oct. 7.