Demonstrators protest We Energies solar surcharge proposal

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Demonstrators gathered at We Energies headquarters in Milwaukee Friday.

They're protesting the power company's proposal to add a surcharge to the bills of people who install solar panels.

Demonstrators say the surcharge would discourage people from doing something that they consider important for the environment. 

"We have no time to waste, we need to move quickly," protester Julie Enslow said. "And they need to make it easier for people to have alternative energy. Not more difficult."

"Our proposal would simply make it more fair, so instead the people with solar panels would pay their fair share of the utilities -- of being able to have the poles and the wires," said Brendan Conway of We Energies. "They'd still save money. About $600 a year on average with those solar panels." 

We Energies argues the homes that use solar energy also use electricity as a backup and then leave it to their community to foot the bill.