A revised transmission “Right of First Refusal” bill was introduced in the Wisconsin legislature this month.
A version of this bill was considered by lawmakers in the last session but was never presented for a vote by the State Senate.
Manitowoc Public Utilities, along with many other municipal utilities, cooperatives, and IOUs, supports this bill because of the multiple benefits it brings to our customers, Manitowoc Public Utilities noted on Feb. 20.
The bill addresses the rights of incumbent transmission facility owners to construct, own, and maintain certain transmission lines, especially those shared regionally.
The main benefit is that ROFR ensures Wisconsin’s power grid decisions remain within the state with oversight from the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin ensuring the end consumer’s best interests are the top priority.
Supporters of ROFR have estimated Wisconsin ratepayers could save up to $1 billion over the life of the transmission lines if the Wisconsin incumbent transmission owners are allowed to build Wisconsin’s transmission infrastructure versus out-of-state transmission companies.
Manitowoc Public Utilities noted that its main focus “is always the interests of our customer’s and community; a ROFR will appropriately allocate costs and save Wisconsinite’s money, which is why we support this bill.”
