Wisconsin 2023-2024 Regular Session

Wisconsin Senate Bill SB646 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

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3	3	2023 - 2024 LEGISLATURE
4	4	2023 SENATE BILL 646
5	5	November 9, 2023 - Introduced by Senators COWLES, STROEBEL, BALLWEG, JACQUE
6	6	and NASS, cosponsored by Representatives NEYLON, GUSTAFSON, TITTL,
7	7	BALDEH, GREEN, KRUG, MURPHY, O'CONNOR, PENTERMAN, RETTINGER, ROZAR,
8	8	SPIROS and TRANEL. Referred to Committee on Utilities and Technology.
9	9	AN ACT to create 196.03 (7) and (8) of the statutes; relating to: notice to public
10	10	utility customers of potential and final rate changes.
11	11	Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
12	12	Under current law, a public utility may not change the rates that it charges to
13	13	customers without first applying to the Public Service Commission for approval of
14	14	the change.
15	15	This bill requires a public utility that supplies gas or electricity to its customers
16	16	to provide notice to those customers with their utility bills if the utility submits a rate
17	17	change application to PSC or if the utility submits an amendment to such an
18	18	application that would change a proposed rate by 1 percent or more. If PSC approves
19	19	such a rate change, the bill also requires the public utility to provide notice of the rate
20	20	change to customers with their utility bills. The bill requires the public utility to
21	21	provide notice of a proposed or final rate change as an insert to a paper bill or in the
22	22	email by which a digital bill is sent. The bill requires a notice of a proposed or final
23	23	rate change to include a number of items, such as the impact of the rate change on
24	24	customers, represented as a percentage increase or decrease and as a dollar increase
25	25	or decrease for the average customer in each class of customers; the amount that a
26	26	rate increase will generate in revenue annually for the public utility; and a
27	27	comparison of current and proposed or new rates with average rates across the
28	28	Midwest, as calculated by PSC. The bill also requires a notice of a proposed rate
29	29	change to include information to facilitate consumer access to and public comments
30	30	on the rate case.
31	31	The bill requires the public utility to submit to PSC a copy of the notice and
32	32	requires PSC to include it as a record in the docket. However, the bill allows PSC to
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36	36	SENATE BILL 646
37	37	require the public utility to provide a new notice if it determines the notice does not
38	38	meet the requirements under the bill or is not easily comprehensible by a typical
39	39	customer. The bill also requires the public utility to make the notice or a link to the
40	40	notice available on the home page of its website or on a web page used by customers
41	41	to view and pay bills online, or both, for at least 90 days beginning on the day the first
42	42	notice is provided to customers.
43	43	Under the bill, PSC may not open a public comment period or issue a final
44	44	decision on a proposed rate change until a copy of the required notice of an initial rate
45	45	change application is submitted to PSC and may not close a public comment period
46	46	or issue a final decision on a proposed rate change until a copy of the required notice
47	47	of an amendment to such an application is submitted to PSC.
48	48	The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
49	49	enact as follows:
50	50	SECTION 1. 196.03 (7) and (8) of the statutes are created to read:
51	51	196.03 (7) All of the following apply when a public utility that supplies gas or
52	52	electricity to its customers submits to the commission an application to change rates
53	53	or an amendment to such an application that changes a proposed rate by 1 percent
54	54	or more:
55	55	(a) The public utility shall provide notice of the rate change application with
56	56	the first bill issued to each customer after the commission issues a notice opening a
57	57	docket on the application, and the public utility shall provide notice of an amendment
58	58	to such an application that changes a proposed rate by 1 percent or more with the first
59	59	bill issued to each customer after it submits this amendment to the commission. If
60	60	the customer receives a paper bill, the notice shall be included as an insert with the
61	61	bill on a separate sheet of paper. If the customer receives a digital bill by email, the
62	62	notice shall be included in that email. The notice shall include all of the following:
63	63	1. The impact of the proposed rate change on customers, represented as a
64	64	percentage increase or decrease and as a dollar increase or decrease for the average
65	65	customer in each class of customers.
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84	84	SECTION 1
85	85	SENATE BILL 646
86	86	2. For a rate increase, the total amount that the public utility anticipates that
87	87	the rate increase will generate in revenue for the public utility annually.
88	88	3. A comparison between the public utility's current rates, the proposed rates,
89	89	and the average rates charged to customers across all other midwestern states using
90	90	figures provided by the commission under sub. (8). The comparison shall include the
91	91	percentage difference between these average rates for the same or similar class of
92	92	customers.
93	93	4. The proposed effective date of the rate change.
94	94	5. A list of all decisions issued by the commission under s. 196.371 since the
95	95	public utility's previous rate case and a discussion of the effect of those decisions on
96	96	the proposed rate change.
97	97	6. The docket number and information on how to view and access the records
98	98	from the docket.
99	99	7. A brief synopsis of how to engage in any public comment periods at the
100	100	commission, including online and by mail.
101	101	8. The dates of any commission hearings or prehearing conferences already
102	102	scheduled at the time of the notice and a description of how to learn of scheduling
103	103	changes or additions.
104	104	9. A brief synopsis of the reasons for the rate change application or amendment.
105	105	10. Other information deemed relevant by the public utility.
106	106	(am) If the commission issues a final decision approving a rate change under
107	107	par. (a) of 1 percent or more, the public utility must provide notice of the rate change
108	108	with a bill issued to each customer no later than 2 months after the commission
109	109	approves the rate change. If the customer receives a paper bill, the notice shall be
110	110	included as an insert with the bill on a separate sheet of paper. If the customer
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137	137	SECTION 1 SENATE BILL 646
138	138	receives a digital bill by email, the notice shall be included in that email. The notice
139	139	shall include all of the following:
140	140	1. The impact of the rate change on customers, represented as a percentage
141	141	increase or decrease and as a dollar increase or decrease for the average customer
142	142	in each class of customers.
143	143	2. For a rate increase, the total amount that the public utility anticipates that
144	144	the rate increase will generate in revenue for the public utility annually.
145	145	3. A comparison between the public utility's current rates, the new rates, and
146	146	the average rates charged to customers across all other midwestern states using
147	147	figures provided by the commission under sub. (8). The comparison shall include the
148	148	percentage difference between these average rates for the same or similar class of
149	149	customers.
150	150	4. The effective date of the rate change.
151	151	(b) The public utility shall submit to the commission a copy of a notice under
152	152	par. (a) or (am) that has been provided to customers, and the commission shall
153	153	include this as a record in the docket. The commission may require the public utility
154	154	to provide a new notice under par. (a) or (am) if it determines that the notice provided
155	155	does not comply with this subsection or is not easily comprehensible by a typical
156	156	customer.
157	157	(c) The public utility shall make a notice under par. (a) or (am), or a link to that
158	158	notice, available on the home page of its website or on a web page used by customers
159	159	to view and pay bills online, or both, for a period of no less than 90 days beginning
160	160	on the day that notice is first provided to customers.
161	161	(d) 1. Notwithstanding any other deadlines that apply to a rate case proceeding,
162	162	if the public utility fails to submit to the commission a copy of a notice of an initial
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190	190	SECTION 1
191	191	SENATE BILL 646
192	192	rate change application under par. (b), the commission may not open a public
193	193	comment period or issue a final decision on a proposed rate change until the notice
194	194	is provided to customers and a copy of the notice is submitted to the commission.
195	195	2. Notwithstanding any other deadlines that apply to a rate case proceeding,
196	196	if the public utility fails to submit to the commission a copy of a notice of an
197	197	amendment to a rate change application under par. (b), the commission may not close
198	198	a public comment period or issue a final decision on a proposed rate change until the
199	199	notice is provided to customers and a copy of the notice is submitted to the
200	200	commission.
201	201	(8) The commission shall calculate annually and provide on its website the
202	202	average rate charged by gas or electricity public utilities to customers across all other
203	203	midwestern states in each of 3 classes of customers: residential, small commercial
204	204	and industrial, and large commercial and industrial. In this section, “all other
205	205	midwestern states” includes Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota,
206	206	Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, and South Dakota.
207	207	(END)
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