The Wisconsin Legislature passed Act 141 in 2006, which requires electric utilities to collect a charge from their customers to help fund public benefits programs, including energy conservation, weatherization and low-income energy assistance programs. The Wisconsin Department of Administration initiated this standard maximum charge for residential customers. For business customers, this charge can vary based on the number of customers, energy prices and customer rate options, which vary between utilities in the state.
The State Low-Income Assistance Fee is a monthly charge that appears on your bill and is required by the State of Wisconsin. It is not part of MGE's rates, and MGE does not profit from it. The fee is not a charitable contribution, nor is it a deductible business expense for utilities or customers.
Effective July 1, 2024, through June 30, 2025, the maximum daily charge per meter is:
| Residential | $0.10356 per day (about $3.15 per month) |
| Small Commercial (Up to 200-kW demand) | $0.07504 per day (about $2.28 per month) |
| Large Commercial (Over 200-kW demand) | $3.82027 per day (about $116.20 per month) |
The fee is capped at no more than 3% of an electric bill in a given month. Those customers who use a very small amount of electricity may pay a reduced amount due to the 3% cap.
Commercial customers with multiple electric meters may request refunds for fees that exceed $750 in a month.
