Information for this article was provided by the Citizens Utility Board, proud supporters of Radio Milwaukee. All content was reviewed and edited by Radio Milwaukee staff to ensure its resonance with our audience and mission.
Data centers. Rate hikes. Energy inflation. These issues have been getting increased attention recently as affordability becomes an even greater concern for the community. But did you know a group in Wisconsin has been working on that for almost a half-century?
The Citizens Utility Board (CUB) is Wisconsin’s only independent, nonpartisan utility watchdog and has been hard at work since the state legislature created it in 1979. That also makes it the oldest operating CUB in the entire United States.
While the organization started as a way to empower homeowners and renters, it has since expanded to advocate for just about anyone who wouldn’t normally have expertise or resources readily available to them. That means all citizens who pay a utility bill for their home, apartment, vacation property and/or family farm, as well as small businesses, have someone on their side arguing for fair, safe and reliable utility service.
CUB’s support has become even more critical with a looming price increase for We Energies, data centers being the talk of the state and affordability rising to the top issue on voters’ minds. Here’s how they’re working on those issues:
Rein in the rate hike
CUB’s regulatory team is weighing in to scale back We Energies’ price hike for 2027 and 2028. The utility wants residential customers to pay 16% higher bills by 2028 — at least twice (and perhaps triple) the inflation rate. That’s on the heels of several consecutive years of rate raises that have resulted in a 33% increase to the bill of a typical residential customer between 2022 and 2026.
This situation is something CUB tracks closely, and you can learn more about the We Energies rate case and their regulatory team’s testimony tied to affordability by visiting their website. You can also tell the Public Service Commission (PSC) what you think by attending the upcoming in-person hearing sessions:
- Monday, Sept. 1 | 1 and 6 p.m.
- Alumni Memorial Union, Marquette University | Ballrooms B and E
- 1442 W. Wisconsin Ave. | Milwaukee
If you can’t make the event, you can submit your comment online and attend virtually via Zoom.
Make data centers pay their own way
Wealthy tech companies can afford to pay for data centers and the massive amounts of electricity they use. In cases this year at the PSC, utilities and tech companies said all the right things. But CUB looked at the fine print and found loopholes that could have exposed us to more than $1 billion in additional costs, plus risks that could hurt everyone if the AI bubble bursts.
CUB sought protections for utility customers, some of which irked Oracle, one of the big tech companies involved in the Port Washington data-center project. Oracle responded by suing the state over safeguards the CUB advocated for, but ultimately decided to voluntarily dismiss the lawsuit.
That’s just one example of the CUB’s work on data centers, which you can learn more about on their Data Centers webpage and We Energies Data Center Issues webpage.
Learn how to save energy and money
In addition to the big fights, CUB does the little things that help community members keep their utility bills down.
One of their tools is educational webinars they host every year to provide steps we can all take to cut back on energy use. There’s a whole library of past webinars available on YouTube, and their next one is coming up at noon Sept. 3. Understanding Your Energy Use: Tools for You to Take Action & Save Money will include tips on how to save, suggestions for steps to take and resources from the statewide Focus on Energy program.
Small businesses are part of this, too, with a webinar designed specifically for them coming up at noon Oct. 1. Navigating Energy Costs: Essential Tools for Small Business Success will provide information on how proactive energy management leads to improved efficiency, long-term savings and a more resilient business future.
There’s more you can do
With the energy landscape changing so rapidly, it’s important to have an organization keeping a close eye on the environment. But it’s also crucial for community members to stay involved.
One way to do that is at the CUB’s Consumer Forum on Energy Affordability taking place Nov. 17 in Madison. The event features policymakers and experts who will help sort fact from fiction about what’s driving higher costs for customers and what can be done to hold utilities like We Energies more accountable.
At events like the forum and throughout the year, CUB works to represent individuals in cases that sound more like David vs. Goliath. In a typical case at the PSC hearing in Madison, a utility will have a dozen hired experts; CUB has three. Now, tech companies are getting involved in the sector, which makes it David vs. Goliath & Uber-Goliath.
In situations like those, it’s important to remember there’s power in numbers. And the Citizens Utility Board will keep working so the power we use remains affordable.
To learn more about the organization and support their work, visit the Citizens Utility Board website.