We Energies (the name technically means "My energy and not yours")
is proposing a plan that would implement:
a) Changes to Net Metering: We Energies proposes to change how and when solar production is valued on a customer’s energy bill. Net metering of clean energy systems would change from annual netting to monthly netting, while also reducing the price credited for solar retail rate to ‘avoided cost’ rate (roughly 14 cents/kwh to 3 cents/kwh). This change would limit customer optimization of solar system sizing and lengthen subsequent return on investment.
b) New Demand Charge: We Energies is proposing a new charge for any and all clean energy system owners. All customers that have invested in a renewable energy system on their own property will be required to pay We Energies $3.80 per kW per month (based on the size of the system). For example, a homeowner who installed a 4 kW solar system (average system size in We Energies’’ territory) will be required to pay $192 annually to We Energies.
c) Restricting Third-Party Ownership (Leasing) of Solar: We Energies seeks to ban any solar or wind project from interconnecting and net metering with the grid if it is not owned by the customer. The utility proposes to limit the financing mechanism available to private home and business owners as well as non-profit and governmental agencies.
Matt Neumann is the owner of SunVest, a Wisconsin-based solar installation company:
“It [the proposal] would not only end solar but remove the economic viability for any renewable energy in Wisconsin.” Neuman, whose company is the largest solar installer in the state, said the demand charge of $3.80 per kilowatt (kW) per month works out to about $220 per year for a 5 kW system, a deterrent for potential solar customers and an unfair penalty for those who have already chosen to go solar.
The proposal also raises fixed rates by 70%. This, in essence, punishes people who have tried to curb their energy consumption.
For its part, We Energies says that these "modest" changes are needed to maintain the power grid, make energy efficient upgrades, the usual stuff. They are claiming that these new solar and energy efficient consumers are hurting their sales, etc. That's strange:
Bryan Miller, co-chair of The Alliance for Solar Choice (TASC) and Vice President of Public Policy and Power Markets for Sunrun, said the idea that solar customers, who make up just a fraction of one percent of We Energies’ total customer base, are a serious cost to the company is “another reason this is such a frivolous case.” Miller pointed to recent testimony by the Public Service Commission’s own analyst, Corey Singletary, stating, “in light of the fact that the short-term sales risk to the utility appears fairly low, and given that the utility has not presented any evidence as to why such a dramatic increase in customer charges must be undertaken in this proceeding … I believe the Commission may wish to consider holding off on any large increases to fixed charges in this proceeding and instead open a separate generic investigation.”
But it's We Energies, guys. It's Us. It's me and you. We are in this together. We don't want this charitable company to go under.
Not after how even-handed they have been with their costs thus far:
We Energies customers pay the second-highest electric rates in the state, according to the state Public Service Commission. Since 2005, We Energies' residential bills have increased 51%, while inflation is up 22%.
So, We Energies has been squeezing people on energy bills for over a decade and the moment people decide to figure out ways to reduce their dependence on them, We Energies decides it's time to flip the Monopoly board over and say the game is stupid anyway.