Public Service Commission of Wisconsin

Address

4822 Madison Yards Way, Madison, WI 53705

Phone

(608) 266-5481Fax (608) 266-3957

Website

psc.wi.gov ↗

Utility landscape

• Wisconsin Electric Power Company (We Energies) IOU

  Southeastern Wisconsin including Milwaukee metro, Racine, Kenosha, and parts of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan

  Subsidiary of WEC Energy Group; filed a significant multi-year rate case in 2024 seeking substantial increases tied to capital investments in grid hardening and the retirement of coal generation at Oak Creek. PSCW has scrutinized fuel cost recovery mechanisms and renewable transition costs closely.

• Wisconsin Gas LLC (We Energies gas) IOU

  Natural gas distribution across southeastern Wisconsin overlapping with Wisconsin Electric's electric territory

  Also a WEC Energy Group subsidiary; subject to integrated rate proceedings with Wisconsin Electric. Gas infrastructure investment proposals and leak detection compliance have been areas of PSCW focus.

• Wisconsin Public Service Corporation (WPS) IOU

  Northeastern Wisconsin and parts of the Upper Peninsula, including Green Bay and Appleton areas

  Another WEC Energy Group subsidiary serving both electric and gas customers; recently pursued rate increases associated with renewable generation additions and the Weston plant transition. PSCW has been attentive to affiliate transaction oversight given consolidated parent structure.

• Madison Gas and Electric (MGE) IOU

  Electric and gas service in Dane County, centered on Madison and surrounding communities

  MGE has pursued an aggressive renewable portfolio expansion, including the Badger Hollow solar agreements and wind power contracts. Its 2025 rate case included requests tied to EV infrastructure buildout and grid modernization investments, with PSCW ordering partial disallowances on certain capital items.

• Dairyland Power Cooperative coop

  Wholesale power supplier to distribution cooperatives across western Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, and Illinois

  As a generation and transmission cooperative, Dairyland is subject to FERC jurisdiction for wholesale rates but interfaces with PSCW on retail-level matters affecting member co-ops. Its announced exit from coal and transition to renewables and natural gas peakers has drawn scrutiny regarding resource adequacy and stranded cost allocation.

• Madison Water Utility muni

  City of Madison and portions of Dane County

  One of the largest municipal water utilities in Wisconsin subject to PSCW rate regulation; has faced ongoing PFAS contamination remediation cost recovery proceedings and capital investment requirements tied to new well development and treatment upgrades, making it a prominent fixture in recent PSCW water dockets.

Key issues

• WEC Energy Group multi-utility rate proceedings: PSCW is evaluating consolidated rate requests from We Energies and WPS reflecting capital expenditures for coal-to-clean transition, grid hardening post-storm-event investments, and customer affordability concerns that have drawn intervenor pushback from consumer advocates and industrial customers.
• PFAS and emerging contaminant cost recovery for water utilities: Multiple Wisconsin water utilities, including Madison Water Utility, are seeking PSCW authorization to recover costs associated with PFAS remediation, new treatment technology installation, and EPA PFAS MCL compliance, creating precedent-setting proceedings on prudency and ratepayer allocation.
• Renewable energy integration and resource adequacy: MISO capacity market tightness affecting Wisconsin utilities has elevated PSCW scrutiny of utility IRPs, with particular attention to whether proposed solar-plus-storage additions and demand response programs are sufficient to replace retiring baseload coal capacity without reliability degradation.
• Electric vehicle infrastructure and transportation electrification: PSCW is active on utility-proposed EV charging infrastructure programs, including MGE and We Energies pilot and scaled deployment proposals, with contested proceedings on cost allocation between general ratepayers and direct EV program beneficiaries.
• Broadband and grid modernization overlap: Wisconsin's participation in federal broadband funding programs has prompted PSCW to examine whether utility pole attachment rates, make-ready costs, and fiber deployment by electric cooperatives and IOUs are appropriately regulated, with tension between broadband expansion goals and utility cost recovery mechanisms.

Upcoming

• 2026-09-15

  Estimated deadline for intervenor testimony in pending WEC Energy Group (We Energies/WPS) consolidated rate case dockets; PSCW procedural schedule anticipated to set evidentiary hearings for late fall 2026.

• 2026-10-07

  Estimated PSCW open meeting at which commissioners are expected to consider final orders on Madison Gas and Electric's 2025 rate case, including rulings on EV infrastructure cost allocation and renewable contract prudency.

• 2026-11-18

  Estimated evidentiary hearing date for Madison Water Utility PFAS remediation cost recovery proceeding; parties including consumer advocate and environmental intervenors expected to present competing prudency and allocation frameworks.

• 2027-01-31

  Estimated statutory deadline by which PSCW must issue final order in WEC Energy Group rate cases if formal applications were filed in mid-2025, per Wisconsin's 180-day rate case clock provisions under Wis. Stat. § 196.20; exact date contingent on application filing date confirmation.