Wisconsin Electricity Rates: What to Know

Wisconsin electricity is the most expensive in the Midwest. As of early 2026, the typical Wisconsin household pays between 17 and 18 cents per kilowatt-hour — slightly above the national average and consistently ranking second or third highest among the 12 states in the central region. The average We Energies residential bill was $128.65 per month in 2024, more than double the $56.18 a typical customer paid back in 2004. And the increases are not slowing down.

In November 2024, the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin approved a cumulative 12.38% rate hike for We Energies over 2025 and 2026 — about $7.62 more per month last year and another $9.73 per month this year. Alliant Energy customers will see roughly $9.57 more per month in 2026 and $17.45 more by 2027. Xcel Energy customers in northwestern Wisconsin face even steeper jumps — $13.47 more per month in 2026 and $24.91 more by 2027. Stack that on top of a 20% rate climb between 2020 and 2024, and the picture is clear: Wisconsin households are paying more for electricity every year, and the pressure is only building. The good news is that the state has real tools to fight back, and understanding how the system works is the first step to getting your bill under control.

How Wisconsin's Electricity Market Works

Wisconsin is a fully regulated electricity market. Unlike Texas, Ohio, or Illinois where residential customers can shop for an electricity supplier, Wisconsin homes are served by whichever utility holds the franchise for their address. You do not get to choose. There is no retail choice, no community choice aggregation, and no deregulation on the horizon.

The Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (PSCW) oversees the state's investor-owned utilities. It is a three-member commission appointed by the governor, and it sets the rules that IOUs must follow. When a utility wants to raise rates, it files a rate case with the PSC, which holds hearings, reviews evidence from intervenors like the Citizens Utility Board, and issues a written order approving, modifying, or rejecting the request. Rate cases typically happen every two years on a staggered cycle, which is why so many Wisconsin utilities have had decisions in the last 18 months.

Municipal utilities and rural electric cooperatives operate outside the full PSC rate review process. Municipal utilities are owned by the cities they serve and governed by local boards. Electric cooperatives are owned by their members — the people they serve — and governed by elected boards. Both tend to have lower rates than investor-owned utilities because they do not have shareholders demanding a ~9.8% return on every dollar of capital spent.

Here is a quick breakdown of Wisconsin's utility landscape:

Utility Type	Regulation	Examples
Investor-Owned Utilities (IOUs)	PSCW-regulated	We Energies, Wisconsin Public Service, Alliant (WPL), MGE, Xcel (NSPW)
Municipal Utilities	Self-governing	City-run utilities across WI, many buy from WPPI Energy
Electric Cooperatives	Member-owned	Distribution co-ops supplied by Dairyland Power G&T
Generation & Transmission Coop	Member-owned	Dairyland Power Cooperative (wholesale to 24 distribution co-ops)

The bottom line for residential customers: you cannot shop your way out of a bad rate. Your main levers are managing your usage, switching to a time-of-use rate plan if one is available, and tapping into state programs like Focus on Energy. We will walk through each of those in detail.

What Wisconsinites Actually Pay

Let us put real numbers on the table. The average residential electricity rate in Wisconsin in early 2026 runs between 17 and 18 cents per kilowatt-hour, depending on the data source. EnergySage reported 18.04 cents per kWh in February 2026. PriceOfElectricity reported 17.84 cents per kWh in December 2025. EnergySage's April 2026 update shows Wisconsin at about 17 cents per kWh. All of those figures place Wisconsin near or slightly above the national average and make it the most expensive electricity in the Midwest.

Average monthly bills vary a lot because they depend heavily on how much electricity your household uses. At 658 kWh per month — the state average — a typical Wisconsin household pays about $117 per month. But households with electric heat, central air, or higher-than-average usage see significantly more. The average Madison Gas and Electric (MGE) residential customer pays roughly $226 per month. Customers requesting quotes on the EnergySage Marketplace reported an average of $182 per month. We Energies reported its average residential bill at $128.65 in 2024 — a figure that has climbed sharply in the years since.

The trend is what matters most. Here is what rate increases have looked like across Wisconsin's major investor-owned utilities over the past several years:

Utility	2025 Rate Change	2026 Rate Change	2027 Rate Change (Projected)
We Energies	+$7.62/month (~+6.9%)	+$9.73/month (~+5.5%)	TBD
WPS	Included in 2024 order	+4.9% typical bill	Pending, +$11/month proposed
Alliant Energy (WPL)	Prior case	+$9.57/month (~+3.5%)	+$17.45/month vs 2025
Madison Gas & Electric	+2.07% electric	+0.15% electric (+$0.13/mo)	+$5.44/month
Xcel Energy (NSPW)	Prior case	+$13.47/month	+$24.91/month vs 2025

Every major investor-owned utility in Wisconsin has either just raised rates or is in the process of raising them. The cumulative effect from 2020 through 2026 is roughly 25-35% depending on your utility — a meaningful bite out of household budgets in a state with a significant share of fixed-income retirees and working families.

If your bill has been climbing and you are not sure where the money is going, our guide on how to read your electric bill and spot overcharges walks through every line item and explains what each charge pays for.

Wisconsin's Major Utilities

Your utility determines your rates, your net metering terms, and your rebate options. Here is how the big five investor-owned utilities stack up.

We Energies (Wisconsin Electric Power Company)

We Energies is the largest electricity provider in Wisconsin, serving about 1.17 million electric customers across the Milwaukee metro area, southeastern Wisconsin, and northern territory along Lake Michigan. It is a subsidiary of WEC Energy Group, a Fortune 500 company that serves 4.4 million customers across four states.

We Energies has been at the center of Wisconsin's rate debate. In November 2024, the PSC approved a cumulative 8.79% electric rate increase over 2025 and 2026 — about $188 million less than the utility had requested. That still adds up to $7.62 more per month for a typical residential customer in 2025 and another $9.73 in 2026. The commission kept the utility's profit rate at 9.8% rather than raising it to 10% as requested.

The biggest capital projects driving We Energies rates include a $1.2 billion conversion of the Oak Creek coal plant to natural gas (coming online in 2028), a $200 million liquefied natural gas storage facility at Oak Creek, and a $211 million natural gas engine plant at the Paris Generating Station in Kenosha County (online in 2026). The PSC approved a new 1,100 MW natural gas plant at Oak Creek and a 128 MW plant at Paris in May 2025. Customers are paying for all of it through the rate base.

Wisconsin Public Service (WPS)

WPS is the second WEC Energy subsidiary in Wisconsin. Founded in 1883, it serves about 474,000 electric customers across 27 counties in northeastern, northern, and central Wisconsin, plus a small slice of Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Its service territory covers 12,000 square miles and includes 21,700 miles of distribution lines.

WPS received its own rate increase approval in November 2024 alongside We Energies, with a typical residential bill projected to rise 4.9% in 2026. The utility filed a new rate case in 2025 for 2027-2028, proposing roughly $11 per month more in 2027 and another $5 per month in 2028. The PSC decision is expected late in 2026.

Alliant Energy (Wisconsin Power and Light)

Alliant's Wisconsin subsidiary, Wisconsin Power and Light (WPL), serves customers across south-central and western Wisconsin. In December 2025, the PSC approved a unanimous settlement covering 2026 and 2027. Alliant had asked for $128.1 million in 2026 and $215.7 million in 2027; the commission approved $76.6 million and $156.4 million, respectively.

For a typical residential customer, that works out to about $9.57 more per month in 2026 and $17.45 more per month in 2027 compared to 2025. The settlement also included customer affordability programs and energy efficiency measures — a win for consumer advocates who intervened in the case.

Madison Gas and Electric (MGE)

MGE is the smallest of the Wisconsin IOUs, serving Madison and parts of Dane County. In recent rate cases, MGE has had some of the mildest residential impacts in the state. The PSC-approved 2026 electric rate change comes out to just +$0.13 per month for a typical residential customer (a 0.15% change — essentially flat). The 2027 change is projected at +$5.44 per month. The PSC cut $28.5 million from MGE's original request.

That said, Madison customers still pay some of the highest average monthly electric bills in the state because of higher average usage.

Xcel Energy (Northern States Power — Wisconsin)

Xcel Energy's Wisconsin subsidiary, Northern States Power Company-Wisconsin, serves the northwestern corner of the state including Eau Claire and La Crosse. The company received verbal approval from the PSC in November 2025 for a $126 million electric rate increase over 2026-2027 ($68 million in 2026 plus $58 million in 2027). For residential customers, that comes out to a $13.47 per month increase in 2026 and a $24.91 per month total increase by 2027 compared to 2025 — the steepest monthly bill jumps among Wisconsin's IOUs.

Dairyland Power Cooperative (Rural Wisconsin)

If you live in rural Wisconsin and are served by an electric cooperative, your wholesale power likely comes from Dairyland Power Cooperative. Headquartered in La Crosse, Dairyland is a generation and transmission cooperative founded in 1941. It supplies 24 distribution cooperatives and 27 municipal utilities across Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, and Illinois, ultimately serving more than 500,000 people.

Co-op members get their bills from their local distribution cooperative, not Dairyland directly. Rates vary by co-op, but co-ops generally have lower margins than investor-owned utilities because they do not have shareholders demanding a 9.8% return. That is one reason rural cooperatives tend to be more affordable in Wisconsin than investor-owned service.

Why Wisconsin Electricity Rates Are Rising

The forces pushing Wisconsin rates higher are structural, and several of them are accelerating. Here is a plain-language breakdown.

1. The Coal-to-Gas Transition

Wisconsin utilities are spending billions replacing aging coal plants with natural gas, solar, wind, and battery storage. We Energies alone is investing $1.2 billion converting Oak Creek to natural gas, $200 million in LNG storage, and $211 million in new gas engines at Paris — more than $1.6 billion in just those three projects. All of it flows into the rate base, and the utility earns a 9.8% return on every dollar.

Natural gas plants do produce about half the carbon emissions of coal, but methane leakage from gas production has more than 80 times the warming power of carbon dioxide over 20 years. So from a climate perspective, gas is a contested bridge fuel. From a rate perspective, it is an unambiguous driver of higher bills.

2. Stranded Assets from Shuttered Coal Plants

Wisconsin ratepayers still owe approximately $1 billion on power plants that have already been shut down. The Pleasant Prairie Power Plant is the textbook case — it opened in 1980, became the state's largest generating plant, and was retired by We Energies in 2018 after 38 years of operation. Customers will continue paying for Pleasant Prairie through 2039 — 21 years after it stopped generating a single kilowatt-hour. Its remaining book value sat around $500 million as of December 2024.

The utilities still earn their guaranteed return on these closed plants. A reform proposal estimated that eliminating profits on shuttered plants alone would save Wisconsin ratepayers about $300 million through the early 2040s. So far no such reform has passed.

3. Data Centers — The New $1 Billion Question

Microsoft is building a massive data center campus on the former Foxconn site in Mount Pleasant. Phase one and two will consume about 900 megawatts of electricity. At full buildout, Microsoft estimates the campus will need roughly 2 gigawatts — comparable to powering every home in a midsize city.

That is just one data center. At least seven major data centers are proposed across Wisconsin, and by one analysis, just two of them would consume more electricity than every Wisconsin home combined. The buildout to serve that demand could create another $1 billion in stranded assets if any of these projects scale back or shut down before their infrastructure is paid off.

We Energies has proposed a new set of data center tariffs — the "Very Large Customer Tariff" and the "Bespoke Resources Tariff" — designed to make data centers pay for the generation capacity they require. One version asks data centers to cover 100% of specific additional capacity costs; another has them cover 75% with residential and small commercial customers picking up the remaining 25%. PSC staff and consumer advocates have raised concerns that loopholes in the proposal could leave residential customers holding the bag for as much as $1.5 billion in cost shifts over the next five years. The policy debate is active and the outcome will directly affect your bill.

4. Guaranteed Utility Profits

Every dollar of capital investment that gets approved into rates earns an authorized return — currently 9.8% for We Energies. Over the life of a 40-year power plant, that return compounds into a very large number. This is not unique to Wisconsin, but it amplifies the impact of every major capital project.

5. Transmission Buildout and MISO Requirements

The Midwest's regional transmission organization, MISO, has mandated new capacity and transmission investments to ensure grid reliability as the generation mix shifts. Those investments flow into rates through transmission charges.

6. Weak Clean Energy Mandate

Ironically, Wisconsin is spending heavily on new generation despite having one of the weakest clean energy mandates in the Midwest. Wisconsin's 10% Renewable Portfolio Standard was met back in 2013 and has not been updated since. Neighbors Minnesota (100% carbon-free by 2040), Illinois (50% renewable by 2040 plus 100% clean by 2050), and Michigan (100% clean by 2040) have far more aggressive requirements. Wisconsin utility investments in solar and wind are driven by economics and company targets, not state law — which leaves less protection for ratepayers when gas infrastructure gets prioritized over cheaper renewables.

Understanding Wisconsin's Rate Structures

Wisconsin bills look a bit different from what you might see in some other states. Here is what to watch for.

High Fixed Charges

Wisconsin is known for having some of the highest fixed monthly charges in the country. A fixed charge is the amount you pay every month simply to be connected to the grid, regardless of how much electricity you actually use. Wisconsin IOUs typically charge $15-22 per month in fixed charges, sometimes higher for specific customer classes.

This matters because high fixed charges blunt the savings you can get from conservation and solar. If you cut your usage in half through efficiency upgrades, your variable energy charge drops, but your fixed charge stays exactly the same. It is one reason the economics of solar in Wisconsin are not quite as strong as in states with lower fixed charges.

There is also a separate line item called the state low-income assistance fee that has appeared on Wisconsin electric bills since 2000. This is a fixed charge that funds the state's Public Benefits program, which helps bankroll Focus on Energy and WHEAP (Wisconsin Home Energy Assistance Program). Everyone pays it whether they use the programs or not — which means if you are not taking advantage of Focus on Energy, you are leaving money on the table.

Flat Volumetric Rates

Most Wisconsin residential customers pay a flat per-kWh rate for the energy they consume, rather than a tiered rate like Oregon or California use. You pay the same rate for the first kilowatt-hour you use as you pay for the thousandth. This makes conservation slightly less effective as a bill-reduction strategy compared to tiered states, but it also makes it easier to calculate your expected bill.

Time-of-Use (TOU) Options

All five major Wisconsin IOUs offer optional time-of-use rate plans. TOU rates charge different prices depending on when you use electricity — typically higher during weekday afternoon and early evening hours and lower overnight and on weekends. If you can shift heavy loads like dishwashers, laundry, EV charging, and heat pump water heaters to off-peak hours, a TOU plan can meaningfully lower your average rate.

EV owners benefit most from TOU. Overnight EV charging falls squarely in the cheapest off-peak window, and a typical EV adds the equivalent of a second refrigerator to your monthly usage. Charging at 5 cents per kWh versus 15 cents per kWh makes a huge difference over a year.

Typical Bill Components

A Wisconsin electric bill generally includes:

• Customer charge / facilities charge — fixed monthly connection fee
• Energy charge — per-kWh charge for the electricity you used
• Fuel adjustment clause — pass-through for changes in fuel costs
• State low-income assistance fee — fixed public benefits funding
• Transmission charge — pays for moving power across high-voltage lines
• Distribution charge — pays for the local wires and equipment
• Taxes and fees

Understanding these line items matters because some of them — the public benefits charge in particular — fund programs you can use to lower your overall costs.

Solar Energy in Wisconsin

Here is a surprise that trips people up: Wisconsin actually gets enough sunshine to make rooftop solar economically viable. Winters are cold and cloudy, but solar irradiance across most of Wisconsin is comparable to parts of Germany, one of the world's solar leaders. Long summer days more than make up for shorter winter ones, and snow reflection can actually boost production on clear winter days.

Net Metering

Under state law, every investor-owned and public utility in Wisconsin is required to offer a net metering tariff for solar systems up to 20 kW. Cooperatives are exempt from this requirement, though many still offer voluntary net metering.

The details vary by utility — each IOU sets its own rules. Most credit excess solar generation at the full retail rate up to your total monthly usage, then switch to a lower "avoided cost" rate for any excess production beyond what you used that month. Alliant Energy, for example, credits retail rate up to your usage and avoided cost beyond that.

In July 2025, the PSC held an important decision about Wisconsin's net metering framework. Madison Gas and Electric and Alliant had both pushed for changes that would have reduced the value of net metering. The PSC rejected the changes and kept Wisconsin's current net metering practices in place — a win for solar customers. A pending bill (Senate Bill 892) would standardize net metering further by requiring all utilities to credit at 100% of retail rate with rollover to subsequent months.

What Solar Costs in Wisconsin

As of April 2026, the average cost of a residential solar system in Wisconsin is about $3.08 per watt installed, with a typical range of $2.50 to $3.50 per watt before incentives. For the average 12.2 kW residential system, that works out to around $37,600 before any discounts, tax credits, or rebates — typically in the $32,000 to $43,000 range.

For smaller systems, expect to pay $14,000 to $16,500 for a 5 kW installation.

Payback periods in Wisconsin run 9 to 12 years for a typical system after incentives, depending on your utility, net metering terms, and local sunshine. With rates rising 3-6% per year, those payback periods should shorten over time as savings accelerate.

Solar Incentives Stack

Wisconsin has a surprisingly good solar incentive stack for 2026:

• Federal Investment Tax Credit: 30% of system cost (check with your installer for current status)
• Wisconsin sales tax exemption: Solar equipment is 100% exempt from Wisconsin's 5% sales tax — saving about $910 on a typical install
• Wisconsin property tax exemption: Solar systems are 100% exempt from property tax assessment, meaning your solar panels will not raise your property tax bill
• Focus on Energy rooftop solar rebate: $600 per kW of installed capacity, up to a maximum of $2,400 per system — a major boost from the flat $300 rebate offered in 2025

The Focus on Energy 2026 rebate window covers systems installed January 1 through June 30, 2026 under the 2026 program year. Applications must be submitted within 60 days of completed installation, no later than August 31, 2026. If you are thinking about solar, get moving before the budget fills up.

For a deeper dive into panel selection, financing, and installation, check out our guide on choosing the best solar panels for your home.

Community Solar

Not everyone can put panels on their roof. Renters, condo owners, and homeowners with shaded or north-facing roofs need another path. Wisconsin has some community solar options available through specific utilities and third-party programs, though the state does not have a statewide community solar law like Minnesota or Illinois. If you cannot install your own system, our community solar guide explains how subscription-based solar works and how to find programs in your area.

Focus on Energy: Your Best Tool for Lower Bills

If you take one action after reading this guide, make it this: learn what Focus on Energy offers and start using it. Focus on Energy is Wisconsin's statewide energy efficiency and renewable resource program, funded by a ratepayer charge on utility bills. Every Wisconsin electric customer pays into it through the public benefits fee on their bill — which means if you are not using the program, you are paying for it to help your neighbors while getting nothing in return.

How It Works

Focus on Energy was created in 2001 by state law. It is administered under contract with the PSC (currently by APTIM) and funded through a ratepayer surcharge collected by participating utilities. Most major Wisconsin utilities participate — all the IOUs, many municipal utilities, and many rural cooperatives.

The program offers cash rebates, free home energy assessments, technical assistance, and connections to qualified contractors. It is the closest Wisconsin gets to having an Energy Trust of Oregon-style statewide efficiency program.

Key 2026 Programs for Homeowners

Rooftop solar rebate: $600/kW up to $2,400/system (doubled from 2025's $300 flat rebate). For a typical 4 kW system, that is the full $2,400.

Heat pump rebates: Focus on Energy offers rebates for air-source heat pumps, ductless mini-splits, and heat pump water heaters. Heat pumps are the single most impactful efficiency upgrade for most Wisconsin homes because they replace expensive electric resistance heating or gas furnaces with a far more efficient system. Our guide on the best heat pumps for home in 2026 covers what to look for.

Insulation and air sealing rebates: Wisconsin's cold winters make weatherization one of the highest-return efficiency investments you can make. Focus on Energy rebates reduce the upfront cost.

Smart thermostat rebates: Install an eligible model and get a cash rebate. Our guide on the best smart thermostats for energy savings in 2026 covers which models qualify and what features matter most for Wisconsin winters.

Appliance rebates: Efficient refrigerators, washers, dryers, dehumidifiers, and more.

IRA Home Energy Rebates: Wisconsin was allocated $149 million in federal Inflation Reduction Act funding for the HOMES (Home Efficiency Rebates) and HEAR (Home Electrification and Appliance Rebates) programs. Focus on Energy was selected by the PSC to deliver these programs in Wisconsin. If you qualify — particularly as a low or moderate income household — these rebates can cover a huge portion of the cost of efficiency upgrades.

Free home energy assessments: An energy advisor will walk through your home and identify the upgrades with the biggest payback for your situation. There is no catch — the assessment is part of the program.

How to Get Started

Visit focusonenergy.com and look up programs available for your utility and your home. You can request a consultation with a regional Energy Advisor who will help you plan projects and stack incentives. Most rebates are paid directly to you after installation, though some newer IRA-funded rebates are applied at the point of sale.

Strategies to Lower Your Wisconsin Electricity Bill

Here are the highest-impact moves for Wisconsin homeowners, ranked by bang-for-your-buck.

1. Weatherize First

Wisconsin's cold winters mean heating is your biggest energy expense. Air sealing, insulation, and window upgrades reduce the amount of energy needed to keep your house comfortable — and every kWh you do not use is a kWh at tomorrow's higher rate. Focus on Energy rebates offset a meaningful chunk of the upfront cost, and the IRA HOMES program can cover up to 50-100% for qualifying households. Our guide on how to cut your electric bill in half covers the most impactful efficiency upgrades.

2. Upgrade to a Heat Pump

Replacing an electric resistance furnace or an aging gas furnace with a cold-climate heat pump is the single biggest efficiency upgrade available to most Wisconsin homeowners. Modern cold-climate heat pumps work efficiently down to -15 F or colder. Stack a Focus on Energy rebate with the IRA HEAR rebate (if you qualify) and the federal 25C tax credit, and a project that used to cost $10,000-15,000 can drop to a fraction of that. Learn more in our whole-home electrification guide.

3. Switch to a Time-of-Use Rate Plan

If you can shift heavy loads to off-peak hours, a TOU rate plan can lower your average cost per kWh. This is especially worthwhile if you own an EV or have a heat pump water heater that can be scheduled for overnight runs.

4. Install a Smart Thermostat

Smart thermostats save money in cold climates by automating setbacks, learning your schedule, and managing heat pump compressor cycling. Focus on Energy offers rebates on qualifying models. See our best smart thermostats guide for specific recommendations.

5. Go Solar If You Can

Despite Wisconsin's reputation as a cold, cloudy state, solar works. With 30% federal tax credit, sales and property tax exemptions, Focus on Energy's doubled $2,400 rebate, and rising rates making each kWh more valuable, solar payback periods of 9-12 years are reasonable — especially considering panels typically last 25+ years. Every kWh your panels produce is a kWh you do not buy at an ever-increasing rate.

6. Monitor Your Usage

You cannot manage what you do not measure. A home energy monitor shows exactly where your electricity is going in real time — often revealing surprises like a failing freezer in the basement, a phantom load from an old entertainment system, or HVAC short-cycling. These insights let you target waste specifically instead of guessing.

7. Pursue All Available Rebates

Stack your incentives. Between Focus on Energy rebates, the IRA HOMES and HEAR programs (delivered through Focus on Energy), and federal tax credits like the 25C Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit, a qualifying household can assemble substantial savings on a single project. Do not leave money on the table.

Low-Income Assistance Programs

Wisconsin has one of the stronger low-income energy assistance frameworks in the Midwest. Here is what is available if you are struggling to keep up with bills.

Wisconsin Home Energy Assistance Program (WHEAP)

WHEAP is Wisconsin's primary bill payment assistance program. It is funded by federal LIHEAP dollars plus the state's Public Benefits program (the same public benefits fee on your electric bill), and it is administered through the Department of Energy, Housing, and Community Resources.

Eligibility: Household income at or below 60% of Wisconsin's state median income. Income limits depend on household size and are updated annually.

Program year: October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.

Heating season: Benefits are primarily paid during the heating season, October 1 through May 15.

Regular heating benefit (FY 2026): $30 minimum to $2,147 maximum, depending on income, household size, heating type, and energy costs.

Crisis assistance: Up to $1,200 for households facing imminent disconnection or fuel shortage.

HE+ HVAC Program: Repair or replacement of furnaces and heating systems for qualified households — potentially a huge value.

HE+ Water Conservation: Water conservation services for qualified households.

Apply through your county energy assistance agency — call 211 or visit energybenefit.wi.gov to find your local agency.

Winter Disconnection Moratorium

This is one of Wisconsin's most important consumer protections: the statewide winter disconnection moratorium runs from November 1 through April 15 every year. Utilities cannot disconnect residential electric or gas service for non-payment during this period (with narrow exceptions for emergencies and certain safety situations). This protection applies automatically — you do not need to apply. It is one of the strongest seasonal disconnection protections in the country.

If you are behind on your bill heading into winter, contact your utility immediately to ask about payment arrangements. The moratorium protects you from disconnection but not from accumulating arrearages, so it is better to set up a plan early.

Federal HOMES and HEAR Rebate Programs

Wisconsin's $149 million allocation from the federal Inflation Reduction Act funds two rebate programs delivered through Focus on Energy:

• HOMES (Home Efficiency Rebates): Covers 50-100% of project costs up to $10,000, depending on income and measured energy savings.
• HEAR (Home Electrification and Appliance Rebates): Point-of-sale rebates for low-to-moderate income households purchasing high-efficiency electric appliances and weatherization.

Both programs dramatically reduce the cost of upgrades that permanently lower your monthly bills. If you qualify, using these rebates is one of the best financial moves available to a Wisconsin homeowner right now.

Utility-Specific Programs

Most Wisconsin IOUs offer additional assistance programs beyond WHEAP, including deferred payment arrangements, budget billing to smooth out seasonal variations, and specific low-income rate classes. Call your utility customer service line to ask what is available.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average electricity rate in Wisconsin?

As of early 2026, the average residential electricity rate in Wisconsin is approximately 17 to 18 cents per kWh depending on the data source. This is near or slightly above the national average and among the highest in the Midwest — Wisconsin has ranked second or third highest among 12 central region states in recent years.

Why are Wisconsin electricity rates so high?

Wisconsin has had above-Midwest-average rates for more than 20 years, and multiple forces are pushing them higher. Current drivers include billions of dollars in coal-to-gas transition capital (We Energies alone is spending more than $1.6 billion on Oak Creek and Paris natural gas projects), ongoing payments for shuttered power plants like Pleasant Prairie (roughly $1 billion in stranded assets statewide), a guaranteed 9.8% return for utility shareholders on every capital dollar, MISO transmission requirements, and looming capacity needs for massive new data center projects led by Microsoft's Mount Pleasant campus.

Can I choose my electricity provider in Wisconsin?

No. Wisconsin is a fully regulated electricity market. Residential customers are served by whichever utility holds the franchise for their area. There is no retail choice, no community choice aggregation, and no deregulation on the horizon. Your main tools for lowering costs are managing usage, enrolling in a time-of-use plan if available, and using Focus on Energy rebates.

How much did We Energies rates go up in 2025 and 2026?

The Public Service Commission of Wisconsin approved an overall 8.79% electric rate increase for We Energies over the 2025-2026 period in November 2024. For a typical residential customer, that worked out to about $7.62 more per month in 2025 and another $9.73 per month in 2026 — a cumulative 12.38% increase over two years. The PSC kept the utility's profit rate at 9.8% rather than raising it to 10% as We Energies had requested, saving customers about $188 million compared to the original ask.

Is solar worth it in Wisconsin?

For many Wisconsin homeowners, yes. Despite cold winters and cloudy days, Wisconsin's solar irradiance is comparable to parts of Germany — one of the world's leading solar markets. With the 30% federal Investment Tax Credit, Wisconsin's full sales tax and property tax exemptions on solar equipment, Focus on Energy's doubled $2,400 rebate, and payback periods of 9 to 12 years, solar is a strong hedge against the rate increases expected to continue through the 2020s and beyond. Every kWh your panels produce is a kWh you do not buy at a rate that keeps rising 3-6% every year.

What is Focus on Energy?

Focus on Energy is Wisconsin's statewide energy efficiency and renewable resource program, created in 2001 by state law. It is funded by a ratepayer charge on utility bills and administered under contract with the PSC. Most major Wisconsin utilities participate. Focus on Energy offers rebates for solar, heat pumps, insulation, weatherization, smart thermostats, appliances, and more. It also delivers Wisconsin's $149 million allocation from the federal Inflation Reduction Act for the HOMES and HEAR programs. If you are a Wisconsin utility customer, you are already paying for it through your bill — not using it means leaving money on the table.

What happens if I cannot pay my electricity bill?

Wisconsin has a statewide winter disconnection moratorium from November 1 through April 15 each year — utilities cannot disconnect residential customers for non-payment during this period. You can also apply for the Wisconsin Home Energy Assistance Program (WHEAP), which provides one-time heating assistance payments of $30 to $2,147 and crisis assistance up to $1,200 during the heating season. Contact your utility or call 211 to connect with your local energy assistance agency. Do not wait — the earlier you reach out, the more options are available.

How does net metering work in Wisconsin?

By state law, every investor-owned and public utility in Wisconsin must offer a net metering tariff for solar systems up to 20 kW. Electric cooperatives are exempt from this requirement, though many still offer voluntary net metering. Each utility sets its own specific terms — most credit excess production at full retail rate up to your monthly usage, then at a lower avoided cost rate for excess beyond your usage. In July 2025 the Public Service Commission declined to reduce the value of net metering, keeping existing practices in place despite pushback from MGE and Alliant. A pending bill, Senate Bill 892, would standardize net metering across all utilities at 100% retail rate with monthly rollover.

Does Wisconsin have a clean energy mandate?

Not a meaningful one. Wisconsin's 10% Renewable Portfolio Standard from 2005 Act 141 was met in 2013 and has not been updated since. Neighbors Minnesota (100% carbon-free by 2040), Illinois (50% renewable by 2040), and Michigan (100% clean by 2040) have far more aggressive targets. In Wisconsin, clean energy additions depend on utility integrated resource plans and economics, not state law. This leaves less protection for ratepayers when utilities prioritize gas infrastructure over cheaper renewables.

Your Wisconsin Electricity Action Plan

Here is a concrete plan to take control of your electricity costs. Work through the items that apply to your situation.

This week:

1. Pull up your most recent utility bill and identify your current per-kWh rate, monthly usage, and the line items you are paying. If anything looks unfamiliar, our bill reading guide will help you decode it.
2. Log into your utility's website and review your usage history for the past 12 months. Note your seasonal peaks and lows.
3. Check whether your utility offers a time-of-use rate plan that fits your usage pattern. If you own or plan to own an EV, TOU is likely a win.

This month:

4. Visit focusonenergy.com and see which rebates apply to your home. Focus on big-ticket items first: heating systems, water heaters, insulation, and weatherization.
5. Request a free home energy assessment through Focus on Energy. An energy advisor will identify the highest-return upgrades for your specific home.
6. Check eligibility for the IRA HOMES and HEAR programs if your household qualifies. These can cover 50-100% of efficiency upgrade costs for qualifying households.
7. If you have been considering solar, get quotes from approved contractors while the Focus on Energy $2,400 rebate is available. Submit installations to meet the 2026 program year deadlines.

If you are struggling to pay your bill:

8. Call 211 or visit energybenefit.wi.gov to apply for WHEAP assistance. Do this as early in the heating season as possible.
9. Contact your utility directly to ask about payment arrangements, budget billing, and any low-income rate programs.
10. Understand the winter disconnection moratorium — you cannot be disconnected from November 1 through April 15, which gives you a window to get caught up on bills.

For the long term:

11. Budget for continued rate increases of 3-6% per year. Every efficiency improvement you make today compounds in value as rates climb.
12. Consider a home energy monitor to identify hidden waste and track the impact of the changes you make.
13. If you are planning a home renovation or equipment replacement, use it as an opportunity to electrify and weatherize — stacking Focus on Energy, IRA, and federal tax incentives to minimize out-of-pocket costs.
14. Pay attention to PSC rate cases affecting your utility. Consumer comments matter, and organizations like the Citizens Utility Board of Wisconsin (cubwi.org) make it easy to weigh in.

Wisconsin's electricity landscape is being reshaped by huge capital investments, the transition away from coal, and the rising demand from massive data center projects. Rates are going up, and there is no sign of that reversing in the near term. But Wisconsin households still have real tools to fight back — from Focus on Energy's rebates to the statewide winter disconnection moratorium to the tax and policy advantages that make solar work even in the cold north. The Wisconsin households paying the least per month over the next decade are the ones who start using those tools now.