WIEG and CUB applaud PSC vote to refinance $100 million from retired power plant
Posted November 8, 2020Categories: Uncategorized
The PSC granted the request of WEPCO regarding a financing order to authorize environmental trust financing (6630-ET-101). The utility estimates the issuance of environmental trust bonds to securitize $100 million of the remaining investment in environmental controls at Pleasant Prairie will deliver $40 million in customer savings over time. Securitization is in some ways similar to refinancing a mortgage. It’s a process by which a utility replaces relatively high-cost debt and equity, which is charged to electricity customers, with lower-cost debt in the form of securitization bonds. This gives the utility a more favorable bond issue and saves ratepayers money. Securitization of undepreciated costs of Pleasant Prairie was a key part of the 2019 rate case settlement involving WEPCO and negotiated by consumer groups CUB and WIEG (05-UR-109). (more…)
New industrial rates benchmarks
Posted March 2, 2020Categories: Uncategorized
Here are the latest industrial rate comparisons for Wisconsin’s investor-owned utilities. Most base rates have been relatively flat or frozen in recent years (fluctuations are allowed for fuel costs) but certain utilities have rates higher than the regional averages. WIEG is working hard to secure competitive rates for large Wisconsin energy consumers.
A coalition of industrial consumer groups, including WIEG, filed this complaint at FERC
Posted December 3, 2019Categories: Uncategorized
Xcel Energy customers to see bill savings in 2020; tax reform, new wind keep costs down
Posted August 5, 2019Categories: Uncategorized
We appreciated the transparency and good faith negotiations of the utility. The end result was a good compromise between Xcel and their customers. The electric rate freeze means that your bill will remain relatively flat over four years.
Click here to read the article
New waste heat recovery law
Posted August 3, 2017Categories: Uncategorized
Waste heat recovery legislation was recently signed into law by Governor Walker. 2017 Wisconsin Act 53 allows waste heat recovery defined as “heat that is a byproduct of a manufacturing process” to count toward Act 141, the state’s 10% renewable mandate. In other words, utilities could ratebase a waste heat recovery project just like they would a solar project or wind farm. In addition, an industrial customer would be able to create an RRC from waste heat heat recovery if it measurably displaces of the use of electricity derived from conventional sources.
https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/2017/related/acts/53
