Judy Newman | jnewman@madison.com | Posted: Friday, =
April 30,=20
2010 5:25 pm | =20
Wisconsin Power & Light filed requests with the state Public =
Service=20
Commission on Friday to raise its electricity rates, sooner and =
later.
WPL, the local utility subsidiary of Madison-based Alliant Energy, =
wants to=20
collect another $8.8 million from customers to help cover increased =
costs for=20
fuel. The utility said fuel costs this year are higher than anticipated. =
It is=20
seeking a fuel-only hike of just under 1 percent that would add about 53 =
cents a=20
month onto the bills of the average residential customer, starting=20
immediately.
WPL also is asking for a 3.6 percent increase in electric rates for =
2011 to=20
help pay for the construction and operation of WPL's Bent Tree Wind =
Farm. The=20
122-turbine installation in Minnesota could produce as much as 200 =
megawatts of=20
electricity, potentially enough to power 50,000 homes under peak =
conditions. The=20
Bent Tree project, to be owned and operated by WPL, will cost more than =
$450=20
million. The higher base rate would add about $3.11 a month to the =
average=20
residential customer's bills next year.
If both proposed increases go through, the cost of electricity for an =
average=20
residential WPL ratepayer would climb to $79.34 a month in 2011.
Last November, WPL was granted a 6.4 percent rate boost for =
electricity,=20
adding $6.10 to the average residential consumer's monthly bill. That =
took=20
effect Jan. 1.