Residents across southeast Wisconsin are seeing their energy bills climb, and many are asking why. TMJ4 has been hearing from viewers for months about the increases, including one viewer named Marilyn who emailed to say her electric bill jumped $145 from November to December last year, and a veteran in Beaver Dam who said his last energy bill nearly doubled.
TMJ4'S Chief Political Reporter Charles Benson took your questions to the Citizens Utility Board, known as CUB, to find some answers.
Tom Content, executive director of CUB for nearly a decade and a former newspaper reporter, said the region is in a difficult financial environment for energy consumers.
Watch: Rising utility bills in southeast Wisconsin: What's driving costs up and what you can do?
"This is a tough time we're in right now because we, we're in a high cost environment," Content said.
WE Energies' residential electric rates have increased significantly over the past five years. The utility raised rates 3.3% in 2022, 11.3% in 2023, 3.1% in 2024, 4.2% in January 2025, and 4.9% this year — a cumulative increase of just under 27% in five years. All rate increases are approved by the three-person Public Service Commission, or PSC.
"So from 2022 to 2026, it's been overall higher than the overall price of inflation, which is a concern," Content said.
When asked whether the increases were due to rate increases, Content confirmed they were.
"Just due to the rate increases," Content said.
Content said winter heating bills are driven by two additional factors beyond electric rates.
"The main drivers of heating bills are really two things, just two things — the price of natural gas and then how cold it is outside," Content said.
Natural gas prices are driven more by market conditions with limited oversight of the PSC, Content said.
One of the most frequently asked questions involves data centers and whether their growing energy demands are contributing to higher bills right now. Content said the answer is no, but the concern is about what comes next.
"No, not right now. That's what we're worried about in the years ahead," Content said.
Content called the issue the biggest challenge facing CUB since the organization's founding. WE Energies has proposed a two-tier rate increase to meet the future energy needs of data centers, and CUB is working to ensure those costs do not fall on residential customers and small businesses.
"So we think, we think the PSC needs to plug those leaks and fix those loopholes to really protect homeowners, renters, and Main Street businesses from seeing increases tied to these data centers," Content said.
WE Energies has stressed that data centers will be 100% responsible for their own energy needs. A decision by the PSC on that request could come next month.
For residents struggling with energy costs, several assistance programs are available. Veterans in Wisconsin may be eligible for a program called Heat for Heroes.
The state also offers financial assistance for people on fixed or limited incomes. Additionally, energy rebates are available to help homeowners make their homes more energy efficient.
This story was reported on-air by Charles Benson and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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