Milwaukee’s long‑brewing power fight is headed into the spotlight, with Alderman Alex Brower’s proposal to replace We Energies with a city‑owned utility getting its first public airing at City Hall on Wednesday, June 24. The hearing is set for 9 a.m. in Room 301‑B, and organizers say residents will be able to show up, listen and speak. For a campaign that has pushed for a municipal takeover for years, this is the most concrete step yet.
The item is listed on the City of Milwaukee’s official meeting schedule under the Public Transportation, Utilities and Waterways Review Board, which is chaired by Ald. Robert Bauman, according to the City of Milwaukee calendar. The listing shows a 9 a.m. start in Room 301‑B, and the board’s notice labels it a public session open for comment and discussion.
Brower, who ran for office promising to pursue a municipal electric utility, has formally asked his colleagues to consider taking over We Energies and to examine the legal path for doing it. In a letter, he argued that “necessities like electricity and natural gas should be provided for the collective benefit of all, not for the profit of shareholders,” as reported by Urban Milwaukee. Brower and allied activists say rising bills and slow movement on clean energy make this the moment to test the idea.
What officials will discuss
City officials are billing the session as a legal and policy fact‑finding meeting, aimed at unpacking how a municipal takeover would work under state law and under the procedures laid out in Chapter 197. A detailed roadmap is sketched out in a white paper from Power To The People, which describes possible steps, including valuation, financing and regulatory review, and contends that municipal ownership can bring lower rates and more local control.
The city is not starting from scratch in its relationship with We Energies. Milwaukee has already partnered with the utility on several renewable energy projects, including landfill and Caledonia solar installations that help the city meet its municipal renewable‑energy targets, according to the Environmental Collaboration Office. Those existing joint projects will be part of the backdrop as officials weigh whether to explore a much bigger shift.
Utility pushes back
We Energies, for its part, insists it is already delivering a good deal. In a statement to reporters, the company said that energy bills for Milwaukee customers “remain below the national average” and highlighted its access to experienced crews and equipment that it says help restore power quickly, Urban Milwaukee reports. The utility also cites its solar collaborations with the city as proof it is adding clean power and local jobs while keeping the existing system intact.
The June 24 hearing is expected to include outside experts who can walk through how public power works in practice and how municipalization has unfolded in other communities. Supporters hope that testimony will help demystify what is typically a wonky topic, even as it carries big implications for residents’ monthly bills.
What happens after the hearing
For now, the session is essentially step one in a long process. The June 24 meeting is designed as the first wide‑open public discussion of the idea, and it could trigger follow‑up work by City Hall committees, state regulatory reviews and detailed financial analysis if the council decides to keep going. The city’s meeting calendar marks this review‑board slot as the official kickoff for public testimony, and advocates say a formal asset valuation and potential bond‑financing plans would come later, according to Power To The People. Backers say getting everything out on the table now will help sketch out what a multiyear process might look like.
Legal and political hurdles
History suggests that if Milwaukee tries to municipalize, it will not be a quick or quiet affair. Across the country, local efforts to take over investor‑owned utilities have often run into lengthy court fights, bitter disputes over how much the assets are worth and full‑scale pushback from incumbent companies. Those utilities typically argue that their size lets them offer reliable service at a lower cost than a new city‑run utility could manage.
The Institute for Local Self‑Reliance has cataloged how opponents in these fights frequently launch aggressive legal and communications campaigns that stretch timelines and drive up costs, meaning serious municipalization bids tend to require years and substantial resources. Advocates and city officials say that context is front of mind as they head into June 24, which they describe as an opportunity to get questions, data and concerns on the record in a more structured way.
The review‑board hearing starts at 9 a.m. on June 24 in Room 301‑B at Milwaukee City Hall. Residents who want to speak are encouraged to show up early, since the meeting will follow the city’s standard public‑meeting rules and will include specific time for public comment. City officials have not yet released a staff analysis, and advocates say they are hoping this first session yields a clearer public timeline and a concrete list of next steps.
