What is the Power Cost Adjustment (PCA) on my Electric Bill?

Co-op members may see a power cost adjustment (PCA) on electric bills. A PCA will show as a separate line item on the electric bills that can be either a charge or credit.

A PCA charge is used to recover the added cost when the wholesale power costs are higher than anticipated. A PCA credit is applied to pass along those savings to members when the cost to produce power is lower than expected.

A PCA helps manage the fluctuating (increasing or decreasing) costs to purchase power. Members may see a PCA credit or charge on electric bills, depending on the wholesale power market.

When the cost to purchase power in our regional energy market is significantly more or less than anticipated, our wholesale power provider, Dairyland Power Cooperative, passes the difference to SCEC, and we pass a charge or credit to our members. (Read more about MISO regional energy market below.)

As a co-op, our rates are designed to reflect actual costs. We provide transparency on electric bills with a PCA, so our members know what you are paying for.

1. The wholesale energy market is volatile. As the cost for electricity moves up or down, SCEC's power provider, Dairyland Power Cooperative, reacts with power cost adjustments, which are passed through to members.

2. Transmission lines that move renewable energy from where it is generated to where it is needed are congested. This raises energy market prices.

3. In the fall and spring, electricity needed by consumers is lower and power plants use this time to conduct much needed maintenance before winter and summer peak seasons. These scheduled outages for maintenance lower the power supply, which increase prices on the energy market.

We do not know how long this will last, or if it will happen again. As the wholesale cost of power fluctuates with supply & demand issues, weather conditions, and energy prices, SCEC members may see power cost adjustments on their electric bills—either as a charge or a credit.

SCEC is a not-for-profit organization and we only collect what is necessary to operate. We return any margins to the members each year through capital credit allocations.

Due to the high cost of generation in January 2026, the PCA charge will be spread out over the next 4 to 6 months.

Beat the Peak: Watch for Peak Alerts on our website and social media asking you to conserve when regional demand and costs are high on the hottest and coldest days of the year. Reducing peak demand helps reduce the wholesale price SCEC pays for electricity. When temperatures are extremely hot or cold, reduce your demand by not using non-essential energy-consuming items, like pool pumps, dishwashers, clothes dryers, and other appliances or motors not needed to sustain life.

Conservation helps not only your energy bill, but your co-ops as well.

Monday-Wednesday, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.,
Thursday, 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.,
and Friday 7 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Wisconsin Energy Assistance
Your household may be eligible for the Wisconsin Home Energy Assistance Program, based on income and size. For more information on getting help paying your electric bill, visit our Energy Assistance page.

St. Croix Electric Cooperative does not own power plants or generate its own electricity. We are a distribution cooperative that purchases wholesale power from Dairyland Power Cooperative, a generation and transmission (G&T) cooperative in La Crosse, Wis.

As a G&T, Dairyland sells the power it generates, and purchases the power it needs for members through MISO, the Midcontinent Independent System Operator.

MISO is the regional authority that manages the electric grid for 15 states, including Wisconsin, and Manitoba Canada. It was created in 1998 and is one of seven Regional Transmission Organizations (RTOs) in the U.S.

An Important Message to our Members - February 18, 2026

Dear Member,

We strive to be open and transparent with you, especially when important changes may affect your monthly bill. Due to the extreme weather from Winter Storm Fern in late January, energy costs rose sharply because of higher demand and limited power supply. This means our cooperative, like many others, is facing increased electricity costs being passed through by Dairyland Power.

To recover these unexpected costs, a Power Cost Adjustment (PCA) of $0.01 per kWh was added to your February bill and may continue for the next 4 to 6 months to make up for SCEC’s portion of the deficit for the power costs passed through from Dairyland Power. This Power Cost adjustment equates to a $10 increase for a member using 1,000 kilowatt hours per month. This is used as an example only and may need to be adjusted to account for the actual costs.

We understand that increases are impactful to all members, and the Board and Staff work diligently to keep costs fair. We hope that the NWPA refund on the February bill helps to alleviate some of the pressure of this increase and blend it out over the next several months. Additional information will be included in the March Energy Lifestyles Magazine to explain the event in a more detailed manner. If you have any questions regarding the PCA, please contact our office.

Important Message for our Members:

What is the Power Cost Adjustment (PCA) on my Electric Bill?

An Important Message to our Members - February 18, 2026

St. Croix Electric Cooperative

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Important Message for our Members:

What is a PCA?

What is the purpose of a PCA?

What is my PCA based on?

What factors impact the price of power (Wholesale power market?)

Are more PCA charges expected?

What can members do to help reduce wholesale power costs?

Where can members get help with high electric bills and billing questions?

What is MISO and the energy market?

An Important Message to our Members - February 18, 2026

St. Croix Electric Cooperative

Office Hours

Contact Info

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