Has anyone had experience filing formal complaints with the Wisconsin Public Service Commission? I have a client with a legitimate billing dispute with Wisconsin Public Service (WPS) that we've been trying to resolve for 6 months through normal channels. WPS is stonewalling us and I think we need to escalate to the PSC. What's the process like and what documentation do they typically require?
Filing Claims with Wisconsin Public Service Commission
Dan, I filed a formal complaint with Wisconsin PSC about 2 years ago. The process is pretty straightforward - you fill out their complaint form (available online) and pay a $50 filing fee. They require all documentation of your attempts to resolve the issue directly with the utility first. The PSC gives the utility 20 days to respond, then you get 10 days to reply to their response. Most cases get resolved during this back-and-forth without needing a formal hearing.
I've found Wisconsin PSC to be pretty fair and thorough in their investigations. Dana's right about the process. One tip - make sure your complaint is very specific about the billing error and includes calculated dollar amounts of the overbilling. The PSC staff appreciates clear, quantified issues rather than vague complaints. Also include copies of all correspondence with WPS showing you made good faith efforts to resolve it directly first.