Energy and Utilities

This bill would establish a state funding program to help local governments acquire or create public utilities such as water, power, heat, or light systems. It allows municipalities to apply for grants covering up to 50 percent of the costs associated with building new utility infrastructure, purchasing existing utilities, or acquiring utility property. The program requires municipalities to obtain approval from the state commission before receiving funds and to submit detailed information as part of their application. The bill also creates a specific appropriation in the state budget to finance these grants.

This bill creates a new category called "very large customer" for electric utilities and gives the state commission authority to define who qualifies for this class. It requires electric utilities to file rate applications every other year for these customers and mandates that the commission review whether the rates charged are fair and not discriminatory. The commission will also develop specific rules to ensure utilities properly justify how rates cover the costs of serving these large customers. If rates are found to be unreasonable or unfairly discriminatory, the commission can adjust them or modify service terms accordingly.

AB 785 establishes a program to cap electricity and gas costs at 2% of a household's annual income for energy burdened households (spending 2-4% of income on utilities) and severely energy burdened households (spending 4% or more, or having no income with utility bills). It prohibits utility disconnections for residential customers with income up to 300% of the federal poverty level due to nonpayment and creates an "energy burden relief fund" to finance the program. The bill requires automatic enrollment for eligible households, an online application portal, and annual reporting by the Public Service Commission on program administration and barriers to participation.

AB 722 imposes annual fees on large energy customers in Wisconsin based on their peak electricity demand, starting at $2 million for those using 100-250 megawatts and increasing by $1 million for each additional 250-megawatt increment. Fifty percent of these fees will fund the Green Innovation Fund, managed by the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation. The bill also requires data centers to report annual water usage to local governments, certify adherence to sustainable building standards (like LEED or BREEAM) within three years of operation, and pay workers the prevailing wage rate for large-scale construction projects exceeding $250 million in cost. These provisions directly affect large energy users, data center operators, and local governments managing water reporting.

This bill addresses three main areas of electric utility regulation. First, it prevents electric companies from charging customers for the profits they made on power plants that have already been retired. Second, it creates a public online dashboard to track the status of applications for permits needed to build large electric generating facilities. Third, it adds requirements for new large power facilities to show they will use at least 70% of their electricity for manufacturing or mining at the same location, and to agree to pay for connecting to the public power grid. These changes directly affect electric utilities, customers who pay utility rates, and developers seeking to build new power generation projects.