Green Bay Packers offensive tackle Mark Tauscher (left) talks with Chad Clifton during the third quarter of their game against the Detroit Lions Sunday, October 18, 2009 at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis. The Packers won 26-0. MARK HOFFMAN/MHOFFMAN@JOURNALSENTINEL.COM Credit: Mark Hoffman

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Advocates for solar power have added a new player to their lineup, as Wisconsin's solar-vs.-utilities feud heads to public hearings later this week in Madison and Milwaukee.

Former Wisconsin Badger and Green Bay Packer Mark Tauscher, now a broadcaster and co-owner of the Madison newspaper Isthmus, said he agreed to speak out on behalf of solar power after discussions with industry representatives and businesses.

The solar advocates "asked us to play a role in the process trying to basically get solar on as level a playing field as we possibly can," Tauscher said in an interview.

Wisconsin has so little presence in solar, which generates a fraction of the state's electricity, that Tauscher said the state could benefit from more clean energy and jobs for installers if solar added up to even 1% of the state's energy mix.

"I'm basically just trying to make sure that solar is going to get a fair shot, and that we can try to get as much renewable energy in the state of Wisconsin as we can that's going to be cost-effective for the Wisconsin consumer," he said.

Tauscher said he doesn't have solar panels on his home in Sun Prairie, but is looking to add solar when he moves to a new home. The addition of a celebrity spokesman in the solar-utility fight comes as utilities and advocates prepare for a public hearings Wednesday and Thursday.

Hearings on We Energies' rate hike request are planned for Wednesday at the Wilson Park Senior Center, at 2 and 6 p.m. A hearing on Madison Gas and Electric Co.'s rate hike request is planned for 9:30 a.m. Thursday in Madison. Public comments are also being accepted online.

The two utilities, as well as Green Bay-based Wisconsin Public Service Corp., say the utility rate structure is unfair, in that solar power customers end up getting paid too much for the power they generate, and in a way that leaves customers without solar subsidizing those who have it.

The utilities say they haven't seen a big financial hit yet because of customer power generation, because only hundreds of utility customers are generating their own power. But that could grow, given the continuing drop in the price to install solar panels.

As a result, MG&E and WPS have proposed to increase the fixed charge on all customers' bills. We Energies has proposed the fixed charge and added a separate proposal that would pay renewable-generating customers less, charge them a flat fee and bar them from leasing their own systems.

Tauscher's public involvement, in conjunction with the Wisconsin Solar Energy Industries Association, comes weeks after the solar industry brought Georgia Tea Party representative Debbie Dooley to Wisconsin to discuss the benefits of solar.

On Monday, a group of businesses and an advocacy group in Madison asked that Madison Gas & Electric "suspend" its proposals and enter into a dialogue with customers about solar generation as well as plans to increase fixed charges on all customers' bills.

The groups, including the Wisconsin Business Alliance, said the higher fixed charges will send a message to businesses that they shouldn't bother conserving energy or take steps to become more efficient, said Lori Compas of the alliance.

MG&E isn't backing off from its proposal that would take effect in 2015, spokesman Steve Schultz said. But the company is responding to the high level of customer interest and involvement in the solar and fixed charge debate.

The company's chairman and chief executive, Gary Wolter, sent a letter to every utility customer Friday promising that MG&E will engage the Madison area in "an extensive community conversation on these important issues" before it proposes further rate restructuring plans to state regulators.

In his letter, Wolter said the new dialogue between the utility and community is expected to take 12 months or more, and that "we will not seek further rate restructuring until the effort is completed."

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