— Wisconsin residential customers of two utilities are on the hook for at least $304.5 million in higher rates on their electric and natural gas bills over the next two years.
That’s $86.1 million less than what Alliant Energy and Xcel Energy sought for 2026 and 2027, according to preliminary figures the Public Service Commission shared with WisPolitics.
When the full increase kicks in starting on Jan. 1, 2027, the average residential Xcel customer will pay $24.91 more for electricity a month than they do now and an additional $8.70 for natural gas. The typical Alliant customer, meanwhile, will pay an additional $17.45 a month for electricity starting in 2027 compared to now and $1.80 extra for gas.
The rate approvals come on the heels of rising utility costs being a major campaign issue in the New Jersey gubernatorial race.
A year ago, the PSC approved a nearly $550 million increase for gas and electric over two years for We Energies, which serves about 1.17 million electric customers in southeastern and northeastern Wisconsin and 1.17 million gas customers across much of the state. The agency also approved a nearly $183.5 million increase over two years for Wisconsin Public Service, which covers 470,000 electric customers and 347,000 gas customers in northeastern and central Wisconsin. Meanwhile, the PSC on Thursday will take up Madison Gas & Electric’s rate increase request for 2026 and 2027.
Jerry Ponio, legislative director of the conservative AFP-Wisconsin, knocked the latest increases, saying it was “proof that the current system under (Dem Gov. Tony) Evers is broken.”
“Skyrocketing energy bills are hurting Wisconsin families, renters, and small business owners already struggling to make ends meet, pushing the American Dream further out of reach,” Ponio said.
The PSC met Nov. 6 to vote on the Alliant and Excel rate proposals. It released preliminary numbers to WisPolitics after calculating the impact of various decisions commissioners made related to the utilities’ requests. The rates won’t be finalized until the PSC publishes its final order in the coming weeks, an agency spokesperson said.
Alliant Energy serves about 1 million electric customers and 430,000 gas customers in Iowa and Wisconsin, while Xcel Energy as of last year served 250,000 electric and 114,000 gas customers in northwestern Wisconsin and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.
For Xcel Energy, the approval amounts to a $126.1 million increase in retail electric revenue, $24.6 million less than the utility’s initial $150.7 million request. The PSC also approved $22.2 million for retail gas revenue, $2.2 million less than the $24.4 million Xcel Energy had sought. The body also signed off on a profit rate of 9.8%.
Under state law, the PSC is required to approve rate increases that cover utilities’ reasonable costs and the opportunity to turn a profit.
According to the PSC, the average Wisconsin residential Xcel Energy customer with an energy usage of 698 kilowatt-hours per month can expect to see a $13.47 increase on their monthly electric bill starting Jan. 1. The average electric increase starting Jan. 1, 2027, is expected to be $24.91 higher per month compared to current bills.
For natural gas bills, residential customers can expect an average $7.08 monthly increase starting Jan. 1. Those bills will be $8.70 higher than they are now starting Jan. 1, 2027.
Xcel Energy spokesperson Chris Ouellette in a statement to WisPolitics said the increases will help the company to invest in a more resilient, advanced and secure energy grid with new and upgraded infrastructure, technology and customer support.
“With customers facing rising costs in many areas of their lives, we understand that higher energy bills can be challenging,” Ouellette said. “Our approved rates also include a new energy assistance program specifically designed for residential customers needing additional support. We remain committed to working with our customers to offer solutions such as payment plans and assistance programs.”
Meanwhile, the PSC approved a $144.1 million electric revenue increase for Alliant Energy, a $57.8 million decrease from the Madison utility’s overall $202 million request for 2026 and 2027. The agency also approved a $12.3 million increase in gas revenues for that period, a $1.5 million decrease from the company’s $13.8 million request.
As a result, Alliant’s average Wisconsin residential electric customer is expected to see a monthly increase of $9.57 in 2026. In 2027, the average customer’s bill will be $17.45 higher than what it is now, for increases of 8.22% in the first year and 14.98% in the second.
The utility’s average residential gas customer is expected to see a $1.08 monthly increase next year and a $1.80 monthly increase in 2027, rising about 3% and 5% from current rates, respectively.
“We appreciate the Commission’s approval of our unanimous settlement agreement as we continue investing in a balanced energy mix, expanding customer options and supporting community growth,” said Becky Valcq, associate vice president of regulatory affairs for Alliant Energy and a former PSC commissioner. “Wisconsin’s constructive regulatory landscape and strong collaboration with local stakeholders support our commitment to cost-effective, reliable energy.”
— State officials are rolling out $14 million in federal funding for 26 more electric vehicle charging station projects after an earlier legal dispute over EV infrastructure funding.
Gov. Tony Evers and the state Department of Transportation yesterday announced the funding for additional project sites, supported by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure, or NEVI program.
The funding comes after a federal judge this summer blocked the Trump administration from holding back more than $60 million in NEVI program funding, the announcement notes. The guv’s office in May said Wisconsin would join a multi-state lawsuit aimed at getting the funds released.
“Thanks to our actions to get the Trump Administration to release this critical funding that they were illegally withholding, we are thrilled to see the NEVI program continue to support these goals and further move us toward the clean energy future Wisconsinites deserve,” Evers said in a statement.
Evers’ office says the latest round of awards “fills coverage gaps” following the initial round of $22.4 million for 52 projects, announced in May 2024. Of that total, 11 are currently operating and 16 have been authorized for construction, the release shows.
See the release.
— Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce announced it’s suing DNR to block the agency from requiring landowners to cover the cost to address environmental contamination they didn’t cause.
The lawsuit comes as Gov. Tony Evers and the GOP-led Legislature have failed for years to agree to a deal to release the $125 million set aside in the 2023-25 state budget to combat PFAS contamination while also addressing GOP concerns about property owners being unfairly held liable for contamination.
The WMC Litigation Center is representing northern Wisconsin couple Steve and Mary Benaszeski in the case, which was filed in Jefferson County Circuit Court.
The Benaszeskis own a Oneida County rental property that previously housed a gas station, where two gas tanks were left buried. According to the complaint, they received a letter from the Department of Natural Resources informing them they had a responsibility to test for and remediate an alleged petroleum spill in the surrounding soil.
WMC says the couple wasn’t aware of the alleged contamination when they purchased the property in 2001, but DNR is now trying to get them to pay to investigate and any potential cleanup costs.
“Steve and Mary are innocent landowners who are being punished by the DNR simply for owning property,” WMC Litigation Center Executive Director Scott Rosenow said. “This is an unconscionable abuse of power by the DNR.”
Midwest Environmental Advocates spokesperson Peg Sheaffer told WisPolitics WMC “has once again shown just how little regard it has for the health and safety of the people of Wisconsin.”
“Only months after the Wisconsin Supreme Court rejected WMC’s attempt to gut our state’s Spills Law, WMC is returning to court with yet another lawsuit designed to undermine this critical environmental health protection,” Sheaffer said. “Enough is enough. We call on WMC to stop using the courts as a battleground for dismantling environmental safeguards like the Spills Law. It’s time they start engaging in real policy solutions that prioritize the health and wellbeing of Wisconsinites.”
DNR declined to comment.
The complaint states the Benaszeskis hired a contractor to test their well water for petroleum, which came up negative, and DNR is now asking them to test the soil and pay to clean it up if petroleum is detected. It says DNR’s demands are making selling the property a “nearly impossible task” for the retirement-age couple.
The lawsuit argues DNR is misinterpreting protections under the state’s Spills Law to mean that anyone who owns a contaminated property is responsible for the contamination. It asserts the couple can’t be held liable for the alleged contamination, saying no petroleum has been discharged since they bought the property.
— Modine has opened a new Franklin manufacturing facility that will help ramp up production of its data center cooling technology.
The Racine-based company yesterday announced the 155,000-square-foot facility opening, part of the company’s $100 million effort announced this summer to make more Airedale data center cooling products to meet rising market demand.
The new facility will create more than 300 new jobs by March 2026, according to yesterday’s announcement, which says that could rise to about 430 workers within three years.
Modine touts Wisconsin’s potential as an emerging data center hub, noting the state’s “abundant water supply,” reliable electric grid and cool climate, which helps keep cooling costs lower. The company also points to the state’s skilled construction workforce and available land as positives for companies building large-scale data centers.
“Franklin’s collaborative spirit, a strong workforce and support for industrial growth made it an ideal location for this expansion,” said John Williams, the company’s group vice president for data centers in the Americas.
See the release.
— A total of 223,406 tons of cargo moved through the Port of Green Bay in October, marking a 35% decrease from September’s total.
Port officials yesterday released the latest shipping figures from last month, which brings the year-to-date total up to 1,213,367 tons. At the same point last year, that figure was about 1.4 million tons.
Report authors say the latest year-to-date total “positions the port within range of recent annual averages, highlighting the progress made” through this shipping season.
“We’ve seen strong momentum throughout the season, with tonnage totals continuing to trend upward,” Port Director Dean Haen said in a statement. “With continuous strong movement across core commodities, we expect to finish this season strong.”
Top commodities for October include limestone, salt, cement, petroleum products, wood pulp and liquid asphalt. So far this year, 116 ships have visited the port, including 20 last month.
See the release.
— The UW School of Medicine and Public Health has announced a new research center focused on aging and related diseases.
The school, part of UW-Madison, has received a $6.3 million federal grant for the Wisconsin Nathan Shock Center of Excellence in the Basic Biology of Aging. The university is putting another $1.1 million into the center, one of eight around the country. They’re named after the first director of the NIH’s National Institute on Aging.
Prof. Rozalyn Anderson, the center’s leader, says it’s clear that aging “affects a host of chronic diseases” seen in U.S. health care.
“Aging is the biggest risk factor for cancer, neurodegenerative disease and cardiovascular disease, and all of these chronic conditions occur more frequently in older individuals,” she said in a statement.
Dozens of participating researchers will explore how the aging process affects cellular metabolism, seeking to improve their understanding of diabetes, cancer, heart disease and neurodegenerative conditions. The center is seeking proposals for pilot projects from across the country, and aims to attract more researchers into aging research, according to Anderson.
She says the center will benefit from existing scientific resources on campus, enabling better analysis of molecules as well as data.
“The fundamental goal is to understand what is happening with aging biology that creates disease vulnerability,” Anderson said. “If you could understand how to delay the problems of age, you could prevent a host of age-related diseases all in one swoop.”
See more in the release.
For more of the most relevant health care news, reports on groundbreaking research in Wisconsin, links to top stories and more, sign up today for the free daily Health Care Report from WisPolitics and WisBusiness.com.
Sign up here.
TOP STORIES
Wisconsin coal terminal to close after 50 years as clean energy saps demand
5,000 babies a year: Why a Madison birthing center is state’s busiest
Milwaukee Forge’s $4.6 million sale is completed. New owner to maintain jobs at Bay View site
TOPICS
CONSTRUCTION
– Milwaukee drops proposal for $700 million development at Marcus Center parking site
– Wisconsin awards $14M in EV charging grants to 26 projects across the state
ECONOMY
– Wisconsin communities weigh costs and benefits of data center boom
EDUCATION
– UW system faculty balk at Legislature’s teaching workload requirements
ENVIRONMENT
– Late start to Wisconsin’s gun-deer season could be tough on hunters
FOOD & BEVERAGE
– Popular bar concept looks to set up camp in Brown Deer
– Former 3rd Street Market Hall vendor Dairyland finds a new home
– New brewery in Wrightstown aims to spark meaningful events and conversations
– This Neenah restaurant’s farm-to-table cooking style offers a ‘flavorful bite’
MANAGEMENT
– Johnson Controls’ new CEO explains why he spends 90% of his time on road
REAL ESTATE
– Challenges mount for Neutral, in Milwaukee and in Madison
– Gurnee-based Saveco to relocate, add jobs in Pleasant Prairie
RETAIL
– Assembly to vote on bill blocking SNAP recipients from buying candy, soft drinks and energy drinks
SMALL BUSINESS
– Lane’s Bakery revival opens in Middleton — kringle, donuts and all
SPORTS
– Where would Admirals go if UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena is demolished?
TRANSPORTATION
– Wisconsin to get 26 EV charging stations after lawsuit
PRESS RELEASES
See these and other press releases
Dupaco Community Credit Union: Empowers members with Bright Track Financial Wellness Hub
Fox Cities Chamber: Announces new summer intern program; seeking facilitators and hosts
