Bill Limiting Competition Between Companies Building Power Lines Heads to State Senate

Monday, February 19th, 2024 -- 9:00 AM

(Joe Schulz, Wisconsin Public Radio) A bill limiting competition between companies building new power lines in Wisconsin will head to the state Senate, after passing the Assembly on a voice vote Thursday with no debate.

According to Joe Schulz with Wisconsin Public Radio, the legislation would give owners of transmission lines in the state the right of first refusal to build new lines that connect to their existing infrastructure. It comes after the Midwest grid operator approved $10 billion in work on new transmission lines over the next decade, with about $2 billion in Wisconsin.

Supporters of the bill said it will boost the reliability of Wisconsin’s electrical grid and preserve the authority of the state’s Public Service Commission to decide who can own and operate the infrastructure rather than ceding control to out-of-state regulators. Critics said it would eliminate competition, which would drive up electricity prices for customers.

Groups supporting the bill include multiple utilities, labor unions and local economic development organizations. One of the utilities lobbying for the bill is American Transmission Co., or ATC, which owns and operates much of Wisconsin’s transmission line system.

Those opposed to the bill include consumer advocacy groups, like AARP and the Citizens Utility Board of Wisconsin, as well as Clean Wisconsin and conservative groups such as Americans for Prosperity and the Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty.

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