Utility Blocks Iowa Solar Firm From Wisconsin Energy Market

In Wisconsin, with high popularity and cost effective feature of solar energy is now at the center of an energy turf war.

There is a project in which a renewable company based in Iowa wants a partnership with the city of Milwaukee for controlling power seven municipal buildings with solar. For financing the city project Eagle Point Solar would help by taking advantage of federal tax breaks that local governments do not be eligible for.

Eagle Point is taking legal action against the public utility, We Energies, for refusing to unite a sequence of solar range to each other. We Energies says it is just following the law. The utility claims Eagle Point would fundamentally be selling electricity to the city within the service area of We energies which the utility argued would be against the law.

Brendan Conway, a spokesman from We Energies said, ‘Assuming it’s secure, legal and reliable, we have no problem. It’s just when it is not a lawful agreement, it’s obvious we can’t connect that’. 

A lawyer with the Environmental Law and Policy Center, Brad Klein said, ‘This case is very vital and is being watched in other states too’. Wisconsin is counted amongst the 15 states that have not explained whether they will let such third-party solar arrangements or not.

The law of Wisconsin conserves the rights of utilities for holding control to provide power to the public, and they are regulated by the Public Service Commission. The definition of what comprises a public utility is at the crux of the Eagle Point court case.

Brad Klein considers that the lack of clarity in the act is holding the state back. He also added, ‘Unluckily in Wisconsin, there has been confusion, and I would say a lot of uncertainty about this general financing tool’.