As governor, Sara Rodriguez will lower utility prices and keep energy bills affordable for Wisconsin families.

Utility bills in Wisconsin have become harder to manage and harder to predict. Families open their statements each month bracing for another increase, unsure how high the bill will climb or what’s driving it. When energy prices jump, households are forced to make tradeoffs – turning down the heat, delaying other expenses, or dipping into savings just to get through the month. For seniors on fixed incomes and families already balancing tight budgets, energy bills have become a constant source of stress.

Wisconsin’s energy system has been built in a way that allows rising prices and new infrastructure expenses to be pushed onto everyday ratepayers, while large corporate users and out-of-state interests avoid paying their fair share. Families shouldn’t be left subsidizing corporate demand or unchecked utility spending. We can meet growing energy needs, support economic development, and keep bills affordable, but only if the system puts consumers first. Sara Rodriguez will.

Freeze Utility Rate Increases

• Use executive authority to temporarily freeze utility rate increases while the state implements a long-term strategy to lower prices.

• This gives families immediate breathing room while Wisconsin addresses the root causes of rising bills.

End Cost-Shifting from Corporations to Families

• Ensure data centers and other energy-intensive corporate users pay the full cost of their energy use, including new generation, transmission lines, and grid upgrades.

• Those prices should not be shifted onto residential customers or small businesses; families should not be subsidizing corporate growth through higher monthly bills.

Hold Data Centers Accountable and Engage Communities

• Data center projects must be developed collaboratively with local communities, with early input and transparent planning.

• All project details must be negotiated up front in binding agreements; if corporations make investments and a project is delayed or canceled, developers must be financially responsible – not ratepayers or local governments.

Modernize the Public Service Commission to Protect Consumers

• Modernize state law so the Public Service Commission has clearer authority to protect ratepayers.

• Utilities should still be able to recover legitimate prices, but not by passing corporate expenses onto households.

Produce More Affordable Energy In-State

• Support development of lower-cost renewable energy like solar, wind, and battery storage to reduce long-term energy prices.

• This includes cutting red tape so utilities can modernize and expand existing facilities faster and more affordably.

Give Families Tools to Lower Their Own Bills

• Expand opportunities for homeowners and small businesses to sell energy back to the grid.

• This ensures clean-energy investments actually reduce bills for consumers, not just boost utility profits.