Wisconsin Public Service is asking state regulators to approve a 15% residential rate increase spread over the next two years, a request now moving through public hearings after the utility filed its case with the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin earlier this year. The Green Bay based utility, a subsidiary of WEC Energy Group, says the plan would raise the typical customer bill by about $11 a month in 2027 and roughly $5 more in 2028.
What the filing seeks
On April 1, Wisconsin Public Service Corp. filed an application to change electric rates in 2027 and 2028, seeking total increases of $165 million over the next two years, according to the Citizens Utility Board of Wisconsin, a consumer advocacy group tracking the case under PSC case 6690-UR-129. The utility says the request is partly offset by savings it plans to pass along to customers. The request includes more than $132 million in savings from federal tax credits and earnings sharing with customers, according to the company’s rate filing.
WPS says the additional revenue is needed to pay for grid upgrades. The company’s request includes $132 million in savings from federal tax credits and earnings sharing, along with critical reliability investments in tree trimming, burying power lines and replacing aging equipment that reduce outages, improve outage restoration and minimize emergency repairs.
Regulators hear public input
The Public Service Commission of Wisconsin held hearings this week to gather testimony on the request. Wisconsin Public Service is seeking approval from state regulators for a 15% rate increase for residential customers spread across the next two years, according to local television station WBAY. Not everyone at the hearing was supportive.
