This week’s episode of “WisBusiness: the Podcast” is with Kristin Gilkes, executive director of the Customers First! Coalition.
The Madison-based nonprofit issue advocacy group was formed about 30 years ago to represent the voice of energy customers in Wisconsin, and Gilkes has led the coalition for more than eight years.
She weighs in on the debate over data centers that’s been happening in the state, noting “it’s important to listen to local voices” and electric customers who are saying they can’t bear any more additional energy costs.
As data center proposals face scrutiny and skepticism in some communities while advancing in others, the developers and tech companies are “trying to put forth good proposals” that will be accepted by locals, Gilkes said.
“They’re making commitments that they will pay their own way,” she said. “They want to pay for the energy that they’re using, they want to pay for the energy infrastructure. As is the case in many circumstances, the devil’s going to be in the details.”
Gilkes also discusses the impact of the ongoing war in Iran, which has led to spiking fuel costs in Wisconsin and across the country.
“When gas prices become volatile, that will ultimately eventually have an impact on electricity customers, as well as customers who use gas for home heating, which is the majority of them in Wisconsin,” she said.
She said effective resource planning can help blunt the impact of price spokes, arguing “it was never completely unpredictable” that a disruptive event like this would occur.
“We know that fluctuations in market prices impact customers, you know, so how do we plan for that, and plan a resource mix that will help mitigate some of those costs in the long term,” she said.
Check out a recent story featuring remarks by Gilkes.
And listen to the podcast below, sponsored by UW-Madison:
