Madison, Wis. – The Wisconsin Electric Cooperative Association today released this statement in response to the decision by the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (PSC) related to third-party ownership of solar installations.
“We are clearly disappointed in the PSC’s decision and believe it is an overreach on an issue that is outside of their jurisdiction. The decision to alter Wisconsin regulatory law after 115 years should only be done in the state capitol by the legislature,” said Rob Richard, WECA director of government relations. “Wisconsin’s electric cooperatives embraced a transition to clean energy early on and are supportive of wind and solar expansion to the extent reliability and affordability are not compromised. This narrow action by the PSC threatens a well-regulated and complex utility system that provides safe, reliable, and affordable electricity equitably to all cooperative members. As not-for-profit electric cooperatives, allowing unregulated, for-profit entities to directly compete and sell electricity to our consumer members with little-to-no reliability standards or consumer protections in place for these systems/contracts is incredibly worrisome, not to mention cross-subsidization that could affect lower-income members the most. We anticipate this decision will end up in the courts on appeal, and we will continue our fight for fair protections for all electric cooperatives and their members.”
The PSC voted 2-1 in favor of a petition submitted by Vote Solar asking to allow third-party ownership in a case out of Stevens Point, opening the door for unregulated, private entities to provide power in the state, contrary to state law. The legislature has declined to modify the law to exempt third-party solar providers from regulation.
