UNDATED (WSAU) -- Officials at Wisconsin Public Service say it's still too early to tell what new EPA emissions guidelines will mean for Wisconsin.
Wisconsin Public Service spokesman Kerry Spees says any proposed changes won't happen until 2017 when Wisconsin is required to implement the new plans from the EPA. Spees says they're still committed to lower prices for customers. "Know that Wisconsin Public Service is going to do the best that it can to hold down our costs no matter how the rules finally end up."
The company has already made several moves, buying a natural gas facility in the state and building a wind farm in Iowa. Spees says the company is taking a look at other options as well. "And the costs are coming down in renewables, but they're still higher than the fossil fuel based generation opportunities."
Other changes include the closure of the Weston One coal plant in Rothschild, which is the oldest plant at the facility. "And that's gonna close by mid next year, along with a number of smaller older coal fired plants in Green Bay, so that's obviously going to reduce our emissions." Spees says a number of other emissions controls and efficiency improvements across the company have already helped as well. "Since 2005 we've already reduced our emissions by some 18 percent."
The new guidelines will call for a total 34 percent cut in Wisconsin carbon emissions by 2030.