WE Energies Proposing Rate Increase

Tuesday, October 4th, 2022 -- 1:01 PM

(By Danielle Kaeding, Wisconsin Public Radio) As heating costs climb this winter, some residents are bucking plans by Wisconsin’s largest utility to raise electric and gas rates beginning next year.

According to Danielle Kaeding of Wisconsin Public Radio, during public hearings Wednesday, people weighed in on an 8.4 percent increase in electric rates and a 10.7 percent hike in gas rates proposed by Milwaukee-based We Energies.

Residents in the utility’s service territory would pay an extra $5 to $6 on their monthly electric bills while natural gas customers would pay around $6 more each month. Those costs are on top of roughly $20 to $30 more each month that customers are expected to face this winter.

Heating bills are slated to increase 17 percent due to soaring natural gas prices stemming from Russia’s war in Ukraine. The utility has no control over changing market prices and those costs are directly passed on to ratepayers.

Around 15 people spoke during two hearings held by the Wisconsin Public Service Commission.

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