Wisconsin Public Service is 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 are two key reasons why customers won't find many other 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.
Alternative energy suppliers need to be registered with the state of Michigan and certified by Wisconsin Public Service before they can start serving customers. A list of Alternative Energy Suppliers registered with the state can be found on the Michigan Public Service Commission's web site at www.michigan.gov/mpsc.
When a customer does find an Alternative Energy Supplier to serve them, they will need to enter into a contract with that supplier. Guidelines for switching to an Alternative Energy Supplier include:
Be certain to compare the total costs for the same supply services from each Alternative Energy Supplier you may consider. Remember your delivery service remains with your local utility.