Here we go again. Another new year, another rate hike for the power company.

Customers throughout southeastern Wisconsin got a nice jolt recently when they opened their electric bills. Consumer rates had recently increased approximately 15 percent, and now stand at about 11.75 cents per kilowatt hour.

With all the talk lately of trying to go "green" in the house and elsewhere, people are looking for ways to cut back on their electricity consumption. One goal, of course, is to reduce their carbon footprint--an impossibility for most people, as their power company burns fossil fuel to generate electricity.

But they also hope to cut their electric bills. Use less electricity, save money, right? Not if you're served by WE Energies (or Weenergies, as locals like to call the firm). Here, you can cut back and still face an increase in your bill. Weenergies claims it needs more money to pay for an expansion at one of its plants. Naturally the Wisconsin Public Service Commission OK's the rate request. We're supposed to be relieved, though, because the power company originally asked for an increase of more than 20 percent.

With no competition to turn to, consumers can only bite the bullet. And you know this is not the last rate hike we'll ever see. We can look forward to ever higher electric bills, despite the best efforts of consumers (residents and businesses) to cut back on consumption.