About Us > Local Ownership

Local Ownership

New Glarus Utilities is your locally owned and operated electric and water utility – serving more than 2,000 customers in and around New Glarus. At New Glarus Utilities, we strive to provide low-cost, reliable service with a friendly, personal touch. After all, we are your friends and neighbors who share your values and understand your needs. That’s what makes a local, community-owned utility a valuable asset to the community.

The citizens of New Glarus founded New Glarus Utilities more than 100 years ago in 1902. Early founders voted to establish their own utility to provide light & water to the downtown area and to encourage economic development.

While a lot has changed over the past century, New Glarus Utilities’s focus has not. Today, we still offer some of the lowest electric and water rates in south-central Wisconsin – rates significantly lower than those in territories that are served by investor-owned utilities.

A three-person public safety/public works committee; consisting of elected Village Trustees governs the utility. This local representation allows citizens to have a voice in how our utility can best meet the community’s needs. Local ownership and control is the hallmark of public power!

There are 82 municipal not-for-profit electric utilities in Wisconsin – utilities owned by the people and the community it serves. Like New Glarus, these communities believe that public power is the best choice for their communities and citizens. Here are a few reasons why:

Quick On-Site Response! We work hard to make sure you don't experience a power outage. However, if an outage occurs, we're always just a few minutes away. We'll get to the problem and fix it as quickly as we possibly can.
You Mean Something to Us! When an area wide outage occurs, we focus on New Glarus. You are not “just another name on the list.”
We Keep Dollars in the Community! We make significant payments in lieu of taxes to the Village each year. We have contributed over $600,000 over the past 5 years to keep your taxes lower.
Competitive Rates! Our rates are lower than those of the surrounding investor owned utilities. Thus, customers have more dollars available to spend on other goods and services in the local economy.
Community Contributions! We offer community programs that keep the public benefits dollars in the community rather than distributed statewide. We also contribute to community organizations and have a high school scholarship program
Community Values! Because decisions are made locally, we are uniquely able to respond to the community’s needs, build community’s strengths and advance the community’s values.

Be proud to be part of a community owned utility!

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