The Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (PSC) regulates monopoly public utilities and has conflicting roles: good service at fair rates for consumers and monopoly status with a fair rate of return for utilities.

The PSC makes these decisions at formal hearings where the positions of both consumers and utilities are heard equally.

But, before CUB, consumers lacked the organization and expertise to effectively counter the arguments of the utilities, who were able to count on the talents of full time attorneys and other experts paid for by rates set by the PSC.

Enter CUB.

CUB is the product of the consumer movement triggered by Ralph Nader and others in the 1960's and 1970's.

In 1979, by act of the Wisconsin legislature, the first CUB was created to give consumers a voice in the regulatory proceedings which control monopoly utilities.

In 1986, CUB Wisconsin reorganized as a private nonprofit organization in response to the U.S. Supreme Court ruling that removed the requirement for utilities to include inserts in their bills to join CUB.

That CUB exists today in spite of the efforts of utilities to destroy it is a testament to the power and generosity of its membership.