News & Events

As the wholesale power supplier for our 51 member utilities, WPPI Energy is accountable to the communities they serve. It is my responsibility to report on how our joint action agency is faring.

It’s an extraordinary time for WPPI Energy as our member utilities continue to power on for their communities. The ways we produce and use energy are changing, and WPPI member utilities are helping lead the transition. This month we mark the first anniversary of our newest power supply resource: the Point Beach Solar Energy Center. WPPI aims to reduce our carbon dioxide emissions 100% by 2050, and this cost-effective, carbon-free addition further diversifies our portfolio.

We’re always looking ahead, and that means ensuring that the changes to come make sense for our communities. We know that achieving a zero-carbon future requires balancing three priorities: reliability, affordability, and sustainability.

We also know that large-scale facilities like Point Beach Solar provide affordable, accessible renewable options for all customers. So, we counted it as a win recently when federal measures that we fought for became law that will equitably lower the cost to invest in these projects for our communities.

With costs on the rise for almost everything, there’s no question that affordability is crucial. This summer, soaring natural gas prices drove up electric costs for customers nationwide, including our member communities. Fortunately, WPPI’s responsive financial structure and member-governed business model enabled our Executive Committee to take meaningful action that mitigated a portion of the impact on wholesale power bills for member utilities and their customers.

WPPI also delivers long-term savings for members by issuing bonds to affordably finance our projects. In May, we locked in a lower interest rate to refund 112 million dollars in outstanding bonds. This action will reduce WPPI wholesale costs to members for the next 15 years.

Of course, costs aren’t all customers care about. As technology evolves, consumer expectations are also changing. WPPI members are ready with modern, shared business technologies and forward-thinking programs to continue leading the way in meeting customers’ expectations.

Not only are these offerings unparalleled among organizations like ours, but they also make a meaningful difference in our communities. As part of our ongoing electric vehicle efforts, a member collaboration is underway to help ensure that planners of smaller utility systems will be ready to reliably serve this growing demand. And, recently, we helped several WPPI member communities evaluate emerging options like solar-to-battery technology to help strengthen resiliency for utility customers providing local emergency response and other essential services.

The not-for-profit utilities that make up WPPI were created for the benefit of those they serve, and they provide significant value for local customers and their communities. WPPI’s purpose is to help preserve and enhance that value, now and for the long term. This is a commitment on which we will continue to deliver.

The state of our joint action agency is strong and, together, WPPI members will continue to lead and thrive through changing times.

The 2022 State of WPPI video can be viewed online at wppienergy.org/2022-state-of-wppi-video.

The locally owned, not-for-profit member utilities of WPPI Energy have always understood that grit, determination, and shared strength are vital for helping their communities thrive. Today, as the electric industry continues to transform, and as customer expectations and technologies keep evolving, our dedication and unity of purpose remain as strong as ever. Together, WPPI members are well positioned with the shared resources, technology, and expertise utilities need for continued success.

Together, we power on.

WPPI Energy has been awarded a Top Workplace 2022 designation by the Wisconsin State Journal, while also earning special recognition for its strong workplace values.

The honor is based solely on feedback from its 115 employees, gathered through a third-party survey administered by employee engagement technology partner Energage. The anonymous survey uniquely measures 15 culture drivers that are critical to the success of any organization, including alignment, execution, and connection.

WPPI scored significantly high in the areas of operating by strong values, doing things efficiently and well, and for staff feeling well informed about important decisions made at WPPI. Additionally, WPPI staff were found to be twice as engaged as the national average.

This is the second year WPPI has participated in the Top Workplaces competition, and the second year in a row that the organization has been deemed a Top Workplace.

Read more here.

WPPI Energy serves 51 locally owned electric utilities. Together, WPPI members have built a diverse, competitive and responsible power supply. They share modern technologies, forward-thinking services and a unified voice for effective energy policy advocacy, all of which benefit the communities and customers they serve. Each member utility elects a representative to sit on the board of directors for the joint action agency.

Having held the role of vice chair for the WPPI Energy Board of Directors over the past 11 years, Sturgeon Bay Utilities General Manager Jim Stawicki will now serve as chair of the board. Stawicki was elected board chair on Jan. 27, 2022, the same day he also began serving on the WPPI Energy Policy & Communications Leadership Council.

The election took place after Jeff Feldt, former board chair of WPPI and general manager of Kaukauna Utilities, retired from the role following a decade of service.

Stawicki has represented Sturgeon Bay on the WPPI board since 2004, and he has served since 2006 on the board’s 11-member Executive Committee, which oversees WPPI Energy’s operations and programs. Stawicki has held various positions on eight of the organization’s committees and advisory groups over the years.

The same day of Stawicki’s appointment, Randy Jaeckels, general manager of New Holstein Utilities, was elected as new vice chair. Jaeckels began representing New Holstein on the WPPI board in 2006, and on the Executive Committee in 2010. Jaeckels will also continue his work on WPPI Energy’s Finance and Audit Committee, Member Services Advisory Group, and the Policy and Communications Leadership Council.

Mike Reynolds, director of public works for Boscobel Utilities, will continue in his role as secretary of the board, and General Manager of Waunakee Utilities Tim Herlitzka will continue as treasurer.

Under the guidance of the board of directors, WPPI Energy maintains competitive wholesale electric rates while continuing to diversify its resource portfolio and reduce CO2 emissions associated with supplying power for member communities.

WPPI members’ longstanding and active support of renewable energy has delivered significant results for the environment. With the addition of the cost-effective Point Beach Solar Energy Center in 2021, the organization is on track for an approximate 45% reduction in CO2 emissions by 2025 when compared to 2005.

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