What is the power cost adjustment (PCA) on my electric bill?
Co-op members may see a PCA charge or credit on your electric bill as the cost of power on the energy market goes up or down. See Q&As and video for details.
Co-op members may see a power cost adjustment (PCA) on electric bills. A PCA is either a charge or credit.
A PCA charge covers the higher cost of power. A PCA credit is applied when the power supply market is favorable.
A power cost adjustment (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 Polk-Burnett, 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.
Members receive a PCA credit or charge based on the amount of energy (kWh) used during a billing cycle.
For example:
In March 2026, the PCA charge on member electric bills was $0.0055 (55₵) per kWh used in February 2026. This was an increase of $5.50 for a Polk-Burnett member using 1,000 kWh per month.
In April 2026, the PCA charge on member electric bills was $0.0062 (62₵) per kWh used in March 2026. This was an increase of $6.20 for a member using 1,000 kWh per month.
Watch your monthly electric bills for a PCA charge or credit.
Read more about March and April 2026 PCAs in the final Q&A below. Learn how extreme cold, ice and snow across the MISO region impacted the cost of power and led to PCAs for the co-op and its members.
1. The wholesale energy market can be volatile. It is influenced by many factors, including the amount of intermittent renewable generation, the price of natural gas and the number of power plants available.
2. Transmission lines that move renewable energy from where it is generated to where it is needed can be 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 amount of generation available, which increase prices on the energy market.
Yes. As the wholesale cost of power fluctuates with supply chain, high demand and inflation challenges, Polk-Burnett members are seeing—and will continue to see—more frequent power cost adjustments on their electric bills—either as a charge or a credit.
Beat the Peak: Enroll to receive Peak Alerts by phone, email or text asking you to conserve when regional demand and costs are high on the hottest days of summer and the coldest days of winter.
Reducing peak demand helps reduce the wholesale price Polk-Burnett pays for electricity—and PCAs, which helps hold your rate steady and reduces the need for power generation, which cuts carbon.
Cut costs and carbon! Every little bit helps:
> Reduce electricity during peak periods.
> Raise your thermostat 4 degrees in the summer, lower it in the winter.
> Wash laundry and dishes before or after peak periods.
> Shut off lights and electronics when not in use.
> Use solar powered clothes line to dry clothes.
> Use grill or microwave for cooking, instead of oven and stove in the summer.
> Avoid watering outside and running your well during peak times.
> Check for air leaks and caulk around doors, windows and wherever pipes and wires enter your house.
> Do the Summer Shift: Reduce electricity when demand and cost are highest across the region, summer weekdays, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Thank you!
Lower your electric bill
Visit our energy savers webpage or give us a call. Our member services representatives are here to assist with billing questions and high electric bills M-F, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., 800-421-0283.
Wisconsin Energy Assistance
Your household may be eligible for the Wisconsin Home Energy Assistance Program, based on income and size. For help paying your electric bill, contact West CAP, 715-265-4271.
Polk-Burnett 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. See energy market display with demand and pricing on MISO's website.
Extreme cold, ice and snow across the MISO region in January 2026 impacted the cost of power and led to PCAs for the co-op and its members. Energy prices rose sharply as high demand for heat and electricity stretched the power grid.
One of Dairyland's power plants was shut down for repairs, meaning our power provider had to buy more electricity than planned on the energy market, which came at a high price during the coldest weather of the season. Polk-Burnett's share of the increased cost of power was $1.1 million, above our normal power bill from Dairyland.
Instead of passing the full PCA to our members, leaders at Polk-Burnett researched many options and worked within our budget to pay down and absorb $831,000, which was 76% of the January 2026 PCA from Dairyland. This lowered the power cost adjustment to 1.17₵ per kWh for members, instead of the full 4.6₵. The PCA from Dairyland was spread over two months on March (.55₵ per kWh) and April (.62₵ per kWh) electric bills. We know higher bills are never welcome, but we hope this helped members ease the burden.
