Here is testimony I gave today at the WI Public Service Commission hearing on the Madison Gas and Electric rate proposal: In response to rooftop solar panel installations by its customers, MG&E proposes to increase the monthly fixed charge while decreasing the per kilowatt hour cost to use electricity. Unfortunately, this would increase electric bills for low-use customers who tend to have a low income while decreasing bills for high-use customers. Is that the right thing to do? In addition, the rate proposal would remove the economic incentive for people in the Madison area to invest in energy conservation and renewable energy. This regressive rate structure is going in the wrong direction. A report by the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change says emissions resulting from human activities are substantially increasing the atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gasses, resulting on average in an additional warming of the Earth’s surface. They calculate with confidence that CO2 from the burning of fossil fuels, such as natural gas and coal, has been responsible for over half the enhanced greenhouse effect. MG&E and the Public Service Commission should promote policies that reduce the use of fossil fuels and encourage energy conservation and renewable energy such as rooftop solar panels. According to RENEW Wisconsin, Wisconsin sends over $12 billion out of state each year to purchase energy. This is bad for our economy. Wisconsin should use its own sun and wind resources to generate more of its energy, reduce coal imports, and add to the more than 300 companies and 6,000 jobs in Wisconsin’s solar and wind power industry. MG&E should work with the Wisconsin affiliate of the Solar Electric Power Association that has over 20 years of experience building partnerships with electric utilities and the solar industry. For example, in Vermont the net metering cap was raised to 15% peak demand recently and Vermont Governor Shumlin stated, “Since 2011, we have quadrupled the amount of solar energy on the grid. That push to expand renewable energy brings jobs to Vermont and saves ratepayers on transmission costs.” There are many alternatives to MG&E’s electric rate proposal that need to be considered. I urge the Public Service Commission to do what’s right for Wisconsin’s economy and the earth’s climate. Reject MG&E’s electric rate proposal.
Posted on: Fri, 10 Oct 2014 02:05:16 +0000
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