Cap-and-Tax Plus!

The real question here is 'how much of this is due to "renewable energy" mandates?'

...We Energies says it must ask for more.

The deepening recession is slowing sales of electricity more than projected, so the Milwaukee utility is asking the state Public Service Commission for a bigger rate increase to cover the gap.
Under the new proposal, residential electric bills are forecast to rise 7% in 2010, up from an earlier forecast of 4.9%.

The recession has had its effects:

We Energies said in its updated filing that its electricity sales to large commercial and industrial customers are projected to drop 13.6% this year and recover only slightly, by 0.2%, next year. Sales to smaller business customers are projected to drop 6.9% this year and another 1% next year, and sales to residential customers are projected to grow slightly this year, by 0.6%, but then fall next year by 0.3%.

The next-year drop in residential sales will follow the exodus of people who are leaving Wisconsin for someplace where there are jobs--or lower taxes.