by jboullion | Dec 3, 2015 | Uncategorized
For immediate release
December 3, 2015
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Tyler Huebner, Executive Director
RENEW Wisconsin Statement on Public Service Commission Approving $14 Monthly Fixed Charge for Xcel Energy
In today’s open meeting, the Public Service Commission approved a hike in monthly mandatory fixed charges for residential customers of Xcel Energy in Wisconsin, from $8 per month (today) to $14 per month starting next year, a 75% increase. The company had been seeking an $18 monthly charge.
“Although we are happy that Xcel Energy customers will not face the full $18 monthly charge, this is still a 75% increase in mandatory fixed charges that is exceptionally higher than what utilities in other states are being granted by state regulators,” said Tyler Huebner, Executive Director of RENEW Wisconsin. “Over 500 individuals and organizations made their voices heard opposing this change, and their efforts helped educate the Commissioners about the impacts this change will have on their lives.”
RENEW Wisconsin conducted analysis of fixed charge requests by similar utilities throughout the country in 2014 and 2015. Of 35 proposals identified:
– 14 were rejected entirely, including Xcel’s Minnesota operation which requested an increase from $8 to just $9.25 earlier in 2015
– 18 utilities were granted increases below $4.30, with an average hike of $2.13.
– Only 3 were granted higher increases, all in Wisconsin. Today’s decision adds a fourth.
“Rate designs with a high fixed charge punish those customers who can least afford to pay more for their electricity. They take away the ability to control one’s utility bills, and they make it harder for customers to save money through conservation measures and more efficient appliances. This is at bottom an issue of consumer fairness,” said Huebner.
For more analysis of this issue, please visit http://midwestenergynews.com/2015/12/04/wisconsin-regulators-approves-another-fixed-charge-increase/
by jboullion | Nov 24, 2015 | Uncategorized
For immediate release
November 24, 2015
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Tyler Huebner, Executive Director
608.255.4044
tyler.huebner@renewwisconsin.org
Madison Community Foundation Supports New RENEW Wisconsin Endowment for an Energy Analysis and Policy Student Intern
RENEW Wisconsin (RENEW) has been awarded a 33% cost sharing grant of $34,000 from the Madison Community Foundation. The grant will fund a
perpetual endowment to support a UW-Madison Energy Analysis and Policy
(EAP) student intern working at RENEW.
“This grant is a perfect match between RENEW and the UW-Madison’s EAP program supporting RENEW’s renewable energy policy research. The Madison Community Foundation support allows us to permanently hire an impassioned student from one of the top energy graduate programs in the country to analyze policies that will spur the use of clean renewable energy in Wisconsin,” said Tyler Huebner, RENEW’s executive director.
RENEW has a history of hiring EAP student interns who have worked on cutting edge renewable policy issues such as third party financing, utility rate cases, community solar, and more.
Don Wichert, a major donor to the endowment, RENEW Board Member, and 1987 graduate of the EAP program, praised the Madison Community Foundation in supporting this permanent support of the EAP program. “This grant will help RENEW leverage other EAP alumni and RENEW member support setting up a great opportunity to work together for RENEW and the EAP program. This program will allow the EAP program to recruit the top students in the country to work on cutting edge renewable policy issues with RENEW,” said Wichert.
“This project furthers two of the Madison Community Foundation’s key goals – to help steward the environment and to inspire philanthropy. RENEW Wisconsin’s endowment campaign will create a sustainable fund to attract bright students and help them develop real world experience through critical analytical and policy analysis. It is a perfect way to celebrate RENEW’s 25th anniversary and enrich their environmental programming,” said Tom Linfield, Madison Community Foundation Vice President of Community Impact.
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RENEW Wisconsin leads and accelerates the transformation to Wisconsin’s renewable energy future through advocacy, education, and collaboration.
Madison Community Foundation uses its local knowledge and assets to inspire giving, support meaningful initiatives, and connect people for the common good. Since 1942, foundation staff have helped people realize their philanthropic goals, allowing them to support charitable interested anywhere in the world. The community foundation also awards grants throughout Dane County to build communities. More information is available online at www.madison comunityfoundation.org.
by jboullion | Nov 19, 2015 | Uncategorized
For immediate release
November 19, 2015
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Tyler Huebner, Executive Director
608.255.4044
tyler.huebner@renewwisconsin.org
Public Service Commission Sharply Trims WPS’ Fixed Charge Request
State regulatory agency grants Wisconsin Public Service only a $2 monthly increase instead of the $6 requested
In today’s open meeting, the Public Service Commission sharply trimmed Green Bay-based Wisconsin Public Service’s request to increase monthly mandatory charges on small electricity customers from $19 to $25. Instead, the Commission settled on a $2/month increase, to $21/month, while agreeing to study the issue in greater depth.
One year earlier, the Commission approved a request from WPS to hike its mandatory fixed charge from $10.40 to $19 per month for residential and other small customers.
Commissioners Phil Montgomery and Mike Huebsch initially signaled interest in granting no increase at all. A compromise was reached with Chairperson Ellen Nowak to increase the fixed charge by $2 per month, to $21, a 10% increase.
“We are pleased that the Commission has slowed down and granted a much smaller fixed charge increase than what WPS had requested,” said Tyler Huebner, RENEW Wisconsin’s Executive Director. “This sends a signal that the Commission is responding to customers who have expressed a wide variety of concerns about these high fixed charges. In fact, 368 people voiced their opinion publicly and none supported higher fixed charges. We hope the analysis that’s conducted by the Commission leads to a broader discussion of how to design rates in a way that leads us towards an energy future that benefits all of Wisconsin.”
“Rate designs with high fixed charges punish those customers who can least afford to pay more for their electricity. They take away the ability to control one’s utility bills, and they make it harder for customers to save money through conservation measures and more efficient appliances. This is at bottom an issue of consumer fairness, and many more consumers than usual spoke up,” said Huebner.
In the rate case, RENEW presented research demonstrating that regulators in other states were not supportive of utility requests to hike fixed charges.
See more at: http://www.renewwisconsin-blog.org/2015/10/robin-hood-in-reverse-is-back-wps.html
by jboullion | Nov 18, 2015 | Uncategorized
Today, Madison Gas & Electric announced a framework that includes expanding the company’s investment in renewable energy to meet 30% of their electricity needs by the year 2030.
In addition, the company indicates a plan to give customers more control, and continue to engage the customers and communities they serve going forward.
“This new framework is a good step forward for Madison Gas & Electric Company and for the communities they serve. MG&E’s goals of providing 25% renewable energy by 2025 and 30% by 2030 are achievable,” said Tyler Huebner, Executive Director of RENEW Wisconsin.
“We agree that ongoing collaboration will be needed to identify the best ways to meet the goals of this new framework. Ensuring customer opportunities to invest in renewable energy and energy efficiency, and incorporating equity, fairness, and control over
customer bills, should continue to be part of the conversation and collaboration going forward.”
MGE has made more information available at mge.com/Energy2030.
by jboullion | Nov 18, 2015 | Uncategorized
November 18, 2015
More Information
Tyler Huebner, Executive Director
608.255.4044
tyler.huebner@renewwisconsin.org
Record Number of Xcel Energy’s Wisconsin Customers Voice Opposition to Hike in Mandatory Fixed Charge
99.8% of public commenters (528 out of 529) dislike the fee hike from $8 to $18 per month
Xcel Fixed Charge Proposal Drove Hundreds to Voice Their Opinion
The final tally is in, and it is clear that Xcel Energy’s Wisconsin affiliate, based in Eau Claire, has proposed an incredibly unpopular change in how it wishes to bill customers going forward.
Following the footsteps of other Wisconsin utilities, Xcel’s Wisconsin utility has proposed to raise its monthly “fixed charge,” which every residential and small business
customer pays before using any electricity at all, from $8 to $18 per
month.
In total, 529 public comments were filed, a seventeen-fold increase in public participation over any Xcel rate case in the previous five years. RENEW Wisconsin’s review shows that 528 (all but one commenter) disapproved of Xcel’s proposed hike in fixed charges.
“It is clear that Xcel’s customers overwhelmingly oppose this hike in mandatory fixed charges. These high fixed charges are a Robin Hood in reverse scheme: the lowest users of electricity end up paying substantially more, while high users of electricity see dollar savings,” said Tyler Huebner, RENEW Wisconsin’s Executive Director.
Public comments were made through the Public Service Commission’s online system, in person at the public hearing on September 16th in Menomonie, or through written mail.
In the public comments, a wide variety of concerns were aired. Senior citizens, fixed-income, and low-income advocates worry that they will have to choose between paying for electricity, food, or medicine. Energy conservation and renewable energy advocates oppose paying high unavoidable fees while seeing the variable energy rate decrease, making the payback longer than it should be for energy- and money-saving investments.
These perspectives can be seen from the selection of public comments included below:
“I am a senior and living on a rigidly fixed income and will not be able to survive in my home if utility costs continue to inflate.” — Cynthia Martinson, Washburn WI
“While the rest of the Country is moving forward, promoting clean energy, Wisconsin utilities are moving us backwards with proposals that undermine clean energy and energy efficiency. If approved, Xcel’s mandatory fixed charge would increase to $18 per month, up from $8 today–a 125% increase, and Xcel’s Wisconsin customers would be facing much higher bills than their neighbors in Minnesota.” — League of Women Voters of Ashland & Bayfield Counties
“I find it outrageous that in every bill from Xcel there is an insert with information on how to reduce my electricity use so that I can “save” money but at the same time, the mandatory fixed charge will be increased–probably to make up for any money Xcel loses by my conservation efforts.” –Judy Blackstone, Eau Claire
“As an Xcel Energy shareholder, I urge the Public Service Commission NOT to approve the proposed 125% mandatory fixed charge rate increase. This steep, unfair and unnecessary increase will be too much to bear for the poorest and most vulnerable among us; those with low incomes and the elderly.” -Dan Stickler, Eau Claire
“Where is that extra $10.00 going to come from? It will come from the food budget- people will go hungry one more night per week; it will come from the medication budget- people who take prescriptions will cut pills in half, or take the medications every other day.” -Joanne Rudrud, Altoona
“I am thankful the MN Public Service Commission rejected the 19% increase here, and implore the WI Public Service Commission to reject the 125% increase across the border.” –Debra Bourne, Minneapolis
“The fixed charge increase XCEL is asking for is unwarranted, totally against the utilities’ best interests, [and] extremely unfair to the public.”– William E. Bastian, La Crosse
“Currently 41% of all student enrolled in our schools are using free or reduced lunch. Some schools, like Longfellow Elementary, are as high as 74%. These are the people who are going to be hit the most by any increase in rates. Keep in mind, these are just household using the assistance, it doesn`t count households living with financial difficulty who choose, for whatever reason, not to take the assistance.” -Chue Xiong, Eau Claire School Board Commissioner.
Previous RENEW Wisconsin analysis also shows that Wisconsin is an outlier on this issue: no other state has approved such dramatic hikes in monthly fixed charges. Learn more at http://www.renewwisconsin-blog.org/2015/10/robin-hood-in-reverse-is-back-wps.html.
