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Rate watch: PSC to rule on hike for Madison utility customers

Journal Sentinel |Thomas Content|November 23, 2009
WisconsinTaxes & SubsidiesJobs and Economy

The state Public Service Commission will meet Tuesday to decide whether to authorize a price increase for customers of Wisconsin Power & Light Co. The Madison utility, which serves portions of eastern Wisconsin, is seeking to raise electricity prices by $98.9 million, or 10.8%, and to raise local natural gas charges by $8 million. ...In addition to recouping the utility for lost sales, prices would rise because of a proposed wind farm in Minnesota, higher pension costs and transmission line costs.


The state Public Service Commission will meet Tuesday to decide whether to authorize a price increase for customers of Wisconsin Power & Light Co. in January.

The Madison utility, which serves portions of eastern Wisconsin, is seeking to raise electricity prices by $98.9 million, or 10.8%, and to raise local natural gas charges by $8 million. Most of the increase in power prices would be linked to the recession, as the company seeks to spread its costs over a customer base that has been felled by factory cutbacks in Janesville, Beloit, Sheboygan, Kohler and Fond du Lac.

Auditors at the PSC have recommended an increase in electricity charges of $73.1 million, or 7.8%, and a natural gas price hike of $5.2 million, or 2.3%.

Customers …

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The state Public Service Commission will meet Tuesday to decide whether to authorize a price increase for customers of Wisconsin Power & Light Co. in January.

The Madison utility, which serves portions of eastern Wisconsin, is seeking to raise electricity prices by $98.9 million, or 10.8%, and to raise local natural gas charges by $8 million. Most of the increase in power prices would be linked to the recession, as the company seeks to spread its costs over a customer base that has been felled by factory cutbacks in Janesville, Beloit, Sheboygan, Kohler and Fond du Lac.

Auditors at the PSC have recommended an increase in electricity charges of $73.1 million, or 7.8%, and a natural gas price hike of $5.2 million, or 2.3%.

Customers would be hit by higher electricity prices at a time when the utility is forecasting a drop in home heating costs as a result of falling natural gas prices in recent years. In addition to recouping the utility for lost sales, prices would rise because of a proposed wind farm in Minnesota, higher pension costs and transmission line costs.

Customer groups have weighed in against the proposal, urging the commission to deny the electric rate hikes or delay them to a future year to help consumers and businesses already strapped by the recession.

Wisconsin Power & Light said it has recognized the impact of the recession by cutting costs and not seeking an emergency rate hike earlier this year.


Source:http://www.jsonline.com/blogs…

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