We Energies electric rate hike proposal met with opposition
MILWAUKEE - As We Energies eyes another rate increase that could cost electrical customers an extra 14% on their bill by 2028, a protest at Zeidler Union Square in downtown Milwaukee and a public input session for the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin showed heavy pushback against the proposed increased rate.
Rate hike opposition
What they're saying:
One of those protestors was Antonio Butts, the executive director at Walnut Way Conservation Corp. The organization is working to build renewable energy infrastructure in Milwaukee's Lindsay Heights neighborhood.
FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking news alerts in the FOX LOCAL Mobile app for iOS or Android
"We continue to see price increases, but we don’t see income increases for the households we primarily work with, and so we believe that no additional burden or stress should be put on these households," Butts said. "And energy burden is an issue that affects families in a way that is really hard to calculate, and we know that that’s an important fight."
Protest against We Energies rate hike proposal at Zeidler Union Square on Sept. 1, 2026.
We Energies cites projects
What they're saying:
We Energies said infrastructure, equipment and energy costs for data centers will be paid by those data centers and not go to customers.
"We know costs are going up for everyone for all sorts of things – the grocery store, the gas pump – and that’s why we work so hard every day to keep those bills as low as possible," Brendan Conway, a We Energies representative, said. "The rate filing the Public Service Commission is considering includes hundreds of millions of dollars in federal tax credits."
SIGN UP TODAY: Get daily headlines, breaking news emails from FOX6 News
We Energies said the increase will go toward expanding clean energy, improving reliability and performance and creating more jobs.
The other side:
Even with those justifications, Butts said the fight will continue.
"And we knew that this was going to be a long journey," Butts said. "We knew that we were going to have a lot of battles along the way, but we intend to win the war."
We Energies
Public input sought
Local perspective:
People who spoke at the public hearing were overwhelmingly against the rate increase. They pointed to rising costs of other necessities, health and anxiety issues that come with tighter budgets and continued reliability issues after past infrastructure improvements.
What's next:
If individuals are unable to make the public hearing sessions, input can be submitted in writing online or by mail before Sep. 18.
When would rate hike start?
What's next:
The Public Service Commission of Wisconsin is expected to make a final decision later this year. Any new rates would take effect in January 2027.
Portions of this article were formatted using A.I. FOX6’s Ben Hanson and an editor reviewed it for accuracy and tone prior to publishing.
The Source: Information in this story was gathered from We Energies and the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin.