MADISON — The Citizens Utility Board of Wisconsin released the following statement after We Energies and Wisconsin Public Service Corp filed rate cases Friday afternoon with the Public Service Commission. Altogether the utilities are asking for increases of more than $800 million for customers in eastern and northern Wisconsin. 

CUB is the consumer advocate working on behalf of residential and small business utility customers across the state. 

“WEC Energy Group shareholders have done extremely well over the past 20 years at a time when costs for We Energies customers have doubled and risen faster than the cost of living,” said CUB Executive Director Tom Content. “Shareholders of WEC Energy Group have enjoyed profits that are the highest in the state and well above the national average. High profits drive up costs and cry out for a more balanced approach that keeps the concerns of customers paying the bills top of mind.” 

Content said that from the filing, it appears that We Energies wants to have its cake and eat it too.

“They want to make money on all the new solar and natural gas plants they’re looking to build, and they want to keep profiting on coal plants long after they’re shut down. Saddling hundreds of millions of dollars of additional costs on customers who are already paying among the highest prices in the Midwest for electricity is something the Public Service Commission will need to evaluate very carefully.” 

The April 12 filing amounts to the utility’s opening bid and Content said CUB expects that the final rate increases for 2025 and 2026 will be well below that bid. 

“Our experts at CUB will dig in and look hard for savings,” Content said. “CUB encourages homeowners, renters, and small businesses to raise their voice during public hearings this fall.”