Frequently Asked Questions - Alternative Energy Suppliers

What is an Alternative Energy Supplier?

An Alternative Energy Supplier is a company that generates electricity for you or buys electricity for your use from another generator.

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What are my supply choices?

Wisconsin Public Service are not aware of any Alternative Energy Suppliers that are ready to serve customers at this time. We will continue to contact suppliers to discuss their interest in serving customers in Upper Michigan. There is a list of Alternative Energy Suppliers registered with the state of Michigan on their web site at www.michigan.gov/mpsc.

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Why are there no Alternative Energy Suppliers in upper Michigan?

There are two key reasons why customers won't find many alternative energy supply options. One is due to the Upper Peninsula's limited market size. A new supplier would have to build a small generating plant to serve this area, and a small plant would have a hard time competing with larger plants that typically cost less to operate. Second, transmission lines that help deliver electricity to you are, at times, already overused. A new supplier may not have the ability to put additional electricity through the lines to serve more customers, and it would limit their ability to sell more energy outside the area (which could have justified building a larger plant).

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How do I know if an Alternative Energy Supplier is eligible to offer me service?

All Alternative Energy Suppliers need to be licensed by the Michigan Public Service Commission and certified by Wisconsin Public Service. A list of Alternative Energy Suppliers registered with the state can be found on the Commission's web site at www.michigan.gov/mpsc.

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