The Citizens Utility Board of Wisconsin is hosting an educational webinar on Thursday Sept. 3rd, 2026 designed to help Wisconsin residential utility customers save money. In this webinar we will be going back to the energy basics and will cover foundational utility concepts, practical energy-saving measures, and we will showcase Wisconsin programs that are available to help consumers. Topics include an introduction to CUB's mission and advocacy, an explanation of utility rate cases and how consumers can participate, actionable tips for reducing energy consumption in the home, and an overview of programs and resources from Wisconsin’s Focus on Energy program. The aim of the webinar is to empower Wisconsin utility customers with knowledge and strategies to save money while managing their energy use.
Detailed Session Program
Join the Citizens Utility Board of Wisconsin for an essential educational webinar designed to help Wisconsin residents—renters and homeowners alike—navigate the 2026 energy landscape. In an era of shifting utility rate structures and changing weather patterns, managing your home energy use is more critical than ever.
We will procide a practical roadmap for taking control of your utility bills, offering an overview of how Wisconsin utilities function and how you can advocate for your interestes as a consumer. Beyond foundational billing management, we will dive into actionable strategies for increasing your home's energy efficiency and resilence.
We will explore:
Home Energy Efficiency: Simple, effective steps—from low-cost weatherization tips to understanding your appliance usage—to reduce energy waste and lower your monthly bills.
Resilience Planning:Practical measures to help ensure your home remains comfortable, safe, and efficient, regardless of external grid or weather conditions.
Empowered Living:Resources and programs available to help you navigate your energy options and plan for a more stable, affordable future.
Whether you are looking to lower your monthly expenses, improve your home's comfort, or better understand energy policies affecting your household, this webinar will equip you with the knowledge to make informed, cost-effective decisions. Join us to learn how proactive energy management leads to immediate savings and long-term security.
Tom joined the Citizens Utility Board in 2017 after working for more than 30 years as a journalist. He became interested in energy and what it costs households while sitting in the back seat, waiting for what seemed like forever, during the gas lines of the ‘70s. After graduating from Boston University’s College of Communication Tom worked at newspapers in Massachusetts and Pennsylvania before moving to Wisconsin. He reported on utilities and worked as business editor at the Green Bay-Press Gazette in the 1990s and then moved to Milwaukee, where he covered energy, utilities and sustainable business for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. His reporting on energy and climate change won the National Press Club’s Stokes Award for Energy Writing in 2007. Tom and his family live in Glendale.
So many reasons. As a journalist I always wrote about energy with consumers in mind, focusing on what they care about most. This fueled my desire to lead and reinvigorate CUB in a time of dramatic change in the energy world. Technological change in other parts of the economy is happening with energy, too, which makes it an exciting yet unsettling time. What thrills me about leading CUB is that we are giving consumers, from homeowners to apartment dwellers to small businesses, a voice in ensuring that policies and changes in the utility sector put customers first.
From a big picture perspective, why is CUB important to the state of Wisconsin?
Having an independent consumer voice is critical for Wisconsin’s system of regulating utilities to work effectively. Wisconsin was a pioneer in utility regulation as the first state in the nation to create a Public Service Commission (PSC) to regulate utilities, and the first state in the nation to create a Citizens Utility Board to ensure that the voice of the people is heard when the PSC regulates utilities.
CUB’s important for another critical reason, and that’s how unique our small non-profit organization is. Forty-four states use a state government agency like the Attorney General’s office or the Office of People’s Counsel to advocate on behalf of homeowners and renters in utility cases. And some of those states, including neighboring states Illinois, Michigan and Minnesota, have multiple advocates, including a non-profit group like CUB plus a state government agency! But Wisconsin is just one of two states, along with Oregon, that relies on CUB alone to do this essential work. That’s why our role as Your Independent Consumer Voice is so critical to making utility service fair, safe, reliable and affordable for us all.
Ben Nelson is a Wisconsin-based grassroots activist, tinker, and educator renowed for converting traditional gasoline vehicles into electric vechicles (EVs) in his own garage. Ben is a self-taught electric vehicle (EV) conversion expert, digital creator, and instructional video producer living in Oconomowoc. He is nationally recognized in the DIY sustainability community for demonstrating how an ordinary citizen without an engineering background can implement high-impact, low-cost green energy solutions.
Angie Kochanski, Director of Business Development - Arch Solar, Inc.
Angie received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Global Studies-Environmental Security from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 2008. Shortly thereafter, she began her career in the solar industry in 2012 working at a panel manufacturing company. In 2016, Angie joined the team and has spent over a decade in residential solar. She takes pride in being a resource for homeowners and businesses as they make a commitment to invest in solar and ensures that they feel confident through each step of the process. She is also one of the few nationally to hold a NABCEP PV Technical Sales Certification.
Brady Steigauf, Community Liaison Manager - Focus On Energy
Brady Steigauf works as the Community Liaison Manager at Focus on Energy. In this role, he manages Focus on Energy's growing stakeholder outreach work to bring energy-saving ideas and incentives to residential and business communities by meeting them where they are. Brady has over 10 years of experience working in the energy efficiency, local government sustainability, and utility space.
The Citizens Utility Board (CUB) offers free, nonpartisan educational programming designed to help utility customers understand their energy bills, lower costs, and navigate energy efficient and clean energy options for their homes and businesses.
