Energy and Policy Institute
@energyandpolicy.org
Exposing attacks on clean energy and countering misinformation by fossil fuel and utility interests. Learn more at www.energyandpolicy.org
Today in @prospect.org: According to the Energy and Policy Institute (EPI), IOUs “often use donations to charitable organizations as a means to encourage organizations to support their political agenda.” Read it here: bit.ly/4pi4GRm
Lightning in a Bottle - The American Prospect
Regulatory capture is at the root of the affordability crisis in electricity. Public power could offer a way out.
prospect.org
December 3, 2025 at 5:06 PM
Today in @prospect.org: According to the Energy and Policy Institute (EPI), IOUs “often use donations to charitable organizations as a means to encourage organizations to support their political agenda.” Read it here: bit.ly/4pi4GRm
Reposted by Energy and Policy Institute
North Carolina's governor and attorney general are opposing Duke Energy's proposed rate hikes for its North Carolina utilities. www.qcnews.com/news/duke-en...
December 3, 2025 at 3:41 PM
North Carolina's governor and attorney general are opposing Duke Energy's proposed rate hikes for its North Carolina utilities. www.qcnews.com/news/duke-en...
Top lawyers for Consumers Energy and DTE donated to a MI AG candidate's primary race. If she wins, this AG will go head-to-head against the utilities' attorneys on regulatory battles. Conflict of interest or good 'ol politicking? We'll let you decide.
https://bit.ly/4q4AmK7
https://bit.ly/4q4AmK7
Utility lawyers’ donations to Michigan AG candidate raise conflict-of-interest concerns • Michigan Advance
Updated at 3:34 p.m. Top lawyers for Consumers Energy and DTE Energy have donated to a Michigan attorney general candidate’s primary race, raising conflict of interest questions about whether the util...
bit.ly
December 2, 2025 at 9:54 PM
Top lawyers for Consumers Energy and DTE donated to a MI AG candidate's primary race. If she wins, this AG will go head-to-head against the utilities' attorneys on regulatory battles. Conflict of interest or good 'ol politicking? We'll let you decide.
https://bit.ly/4q4AmK7
https://bit.ly/4q4AmK7
That's it. That's the post.
(Report and graphics done by @tcfdotorg.bsky.social: tcf.org/content/comm...)
(Report and graphics done by @tcfdotorg.bsky.social: tcf.org/content/comm...)
November 24, 2025 at 2:56 PM
That's it. That's the post.
(Report and graphics done by @tcfdotorg.bsky.social: tcf.org/content/comm...)
(Report and graphics done by @tcfdotorg.bsky.social: tcf.org/content/comm...)
Private equity groups have focused in on utilities a lot more recently and one that's currently being tapped for a potential sale is the New Mexico Gas Company. Turns out when you don't really know what you're doing, things can get... messy. energyandpolicy.org/new-mexico-g...
New Mexico Gas Company latest utility facing private equity takeover
A private equity firm checkered with compliance problems and cost overruns is attempting to buy the New Mexico Gas Company (NMGC), raising concerns from regulators, environmental advocates and custome...
energyandpolicy.org
November 21, 2025 at 2:39 PM
Private equity groups have focused in on utilities a lot more recently and one that's currently being tapped for a potential sale is the New Mexico Gas Company. Turns out when you don't really know what you're doing, things can get... messy. energyandpolicy.org/new-mexico-g...
Reposted by Energy and Policy Institute
Update: A spokesperson for the PUCO confirmed to @energyandpolicy.org that yesterday's order prevents FirstEnergy from recovering $108 million in shady "corporate overhead" expenses from customers of the company's Ohio utilities energyandpolicy.org/firstenergy-...
PUCO stops FirstEnergy from making Ohio customers pay $108 million for a corporate accounting foul-up flagged by regulatory audits
FirstEnergy wants to add $108 million to the rates paid by customers of its Ohio utilities so the company can avoid taking a loss for a corporate accounting foul-up flagged repeatedly in audits by sta...
energyandpolicy.org
November 20, 2025 at 10:25 PM
Update: A spokesperson for the PUCO confirmed to @energyandpolicy.org that yesterday's order prevents FirstEnergy from recovering $108 million in shady "corporate overhead" expenses from customers of the company's Ohio utilities energyandpolicy.org/firstenergy-...
Reposted by Energy and Policy Institute
Great piece from @emilypont.bsky.social on a most obvious and elegant tool to ease the burden of rising utility bills, if state regulators are willing to use it: cut utility profits
heatmap.news/energy/calif...
heatmap.news/energy/calif...
What If Utilities Just Made Less Money?
California energy companies are asking for permission to take in more revenue. Consumer advocates are having none of it.
heatmap.news
November 20, 2025 at 2:20 PM
Great piece from @emilypont.bsky.social on a most obvious and elegant tool to ease the burden of rising utility bills, if state regulators are willing to use it: cut utility profits
heatmap.news/energy/calif...
heatmap.news/energy/calif...
As Ameren rakes in hundreds of millions of $$$ in profits, they continue to disconnect thousands of customers for missing payments. Their offered solution is to have customers apply for LIHEAP - which was eliminated in the Trump administration's 2026 budget. www.ksdk.com/article/news...
Ameren cut off over 17,000 Missourians from electricity in October
The monopoly utility made $640 million in profits last quarter as future energy assistance for Missouri's families is threatened.
www.ksdk.com
November 20, 2025 at 2:54 PM
As Ameren rakes in hundreds of millions of $$$ in profits, they continue to disconnect thousands of customers for missing payments. Their offered solution is to have customers apply for LIHEAP - which was eliminated in the Trump administration's 2026 budget. www.ksdk.com/article/news...
A new analysis of consumer data shows past due balances to utility companies jumped 9.7% annually to $789 between April-June periods of 2024 and 2025. This overlaps with a 12% jump in monthly energy bills during the same period. apnews.com/article/trum...
New analysis shows more US consumers are falling behind on their utility bills
A new analysis of consumer data shows that more people in the United States are falling behind on their utility bills.
apnews.com
November 19, 2025 at 7:03 PM
A new analysis of consumer data shows past due balances to utility companies jumped 9.7% annually to $789 between April-June periods of 2024 and 2025. This overlaps with a 12% jump in monthly energy bills during the same period. apnews.com/article/trum...
You're never going to believe it, but DTE Energy is being tied to something shady from back in 2020 that is just now coming to "light." (See what we did?) Read more about DTE's alleged campaign finance scandal here: michiganadvance.com/2025/11/11/c...
Complaint argues DTE-tied group aimed to funnel $100k into Unlock Michigan campaign • Michigan Advance
A Michigan nonprofit with ties to one of the state’s largest energy companies is accused of participating in a dark money scheme to funnel money into an effort to overturn the governor’s COVID-19 emer...
michiganadvance.com
November 17, 2025 at 2:56 PM
You're never going to believe it, but DTE Energy is being tied to something shady from back in 2020 that is just now coming to "light." (See what we did?) Read more about DTE's alleged campaign finance scandal here: michiganadvance.com/2025/11/11/c...
A private equity company that *checks notes* failed to operate and maintain a water treatment facility and upon inspection there was found to be a build-up of sludge and bloodworms (🤢 ) now wants to purchase the New Mexico Gas Company. What could go wrong? energyandpolicy.org/new-mexico-g...
November 14, 2025 at 4:56 PM
A private equity company that *checks notes* failed to operate and maintain a water treatment facility and upon inspection there was found to be a build-up of sludge and bloodworms (🤢 ) now wants to purchase the New Mexico Gas Company. What could go wrong? energyandpolicy.org/new-mexico-g...
Reposted by Energy and Policy Institute
A New Mexico gas utility is the latest to face a private equity takeover bid, this time by a firm whose failure to properly maintain an earlier water utility acquisition led to sludge build-up and bloodworms on the system energyandpolicy.org/new-mexico-g...
New Mexico Gas Company latest utility facing private equity takeover
A private equity firm checkered with compliance problems and cost overruns is attempting to buy the New Mexico Gas Company (NMGC), raising concerns from regulators, environmental advocates and custome...
energyandpolicy.org
November 14, 2025 at 2:10 PM
A New Mexico gas utility is the latest to face a private equity takeover bid, this time by a firm whose failure to properly maintain an earlier water utility acquisition led to sludge build-up and bloodworms on the system energyandpolicy.org/new-mexico-g...
Ameren, the monopoly utility serving the people of Missouri, made $640 million in profits last quarter. Yet records released by the MO Public Utility Commission shows Ameren disconnected over 17,000 households in October for missed payments. 1.5% of their customers. www.ksdk.com/article/news...
Ameren cut off over 17,000 Missourians from electricity in October
The monopoly utility made $640 million in profits last quarter as future energy assistance for Missouri's families is threatened.
www.ksdk.com
November 14, 2025 at 3:09 PM
Ameren, the monopoly utility serving the people of Missouri, made $640 million in profits last quarter. Yet records released by the MO Public Utility Commission shows Ameren disconnected over 17,000 households in October for missed payments. 1.5% of their customers. www.ksdk.com/article/news...
Reposted by Energy and Policy Institute
A new brief from the Center for Progressive Reform looks at alternatives to investor-owned utilities -- including electric cooperatives, publicly owned utilities, and community choice aggregators -- for achieving an equitable, clean energy transition.
Advancing a Clean, Equitable Energy Transition through Alternatives to Investor-Owned Utilities - Center for Progressive Reform
The energy sector needs creative solutions for addressing the worsening and unevenly distributed impacts of climate change. There is growing scientific consensus that we have already surpassed 1.5 deg...
progressivereform.org
November 12, 2025 at 3:45 PM
A new brief from the Center for Progressive Reform looks at alternatives to investor-owned utilities -- including electric cooperatives, publicly owned utilities, and community choice aggregators -- for achieving an equitable, clean energy transition.
A new complaint filed alleges Michigan Energy First, a dark money group tied to DTE Energy (👀), violated the Michigan Campaign Finance Act when it funneled $100,000 in an effort to roll back pandemic emergency rules in 2020. michiganadvance.com/2025/11/11/c...
Complaint argues DTE-tied group aimed to funnel $100k into Unlock Michigan campaign • Michigan Advance
A Michigan nonprofit with ties to one of the state’s largest energy companies is accused of participating in a dark money scheme to funnel money into an effort to overturn the governor’s COVID-19 emer...
michiganadvance.com
November 12, 2025 at 3:11 PM
A new complaint filed alleges Michigan Energy First, a dark money group tied to DTE Energy (👀), violated the Michigan Campaign Finance Act when it funneled $100,000 in an effort to roll back pandemic emergency rules in 2020. michiganadvance.com/2025/11/11/c...
Reposted by Energy and Policy Institute
“We’ve heard from a number of utilities who are willing to be patient and help support their households getting on those payment plans and avoid disconnecting them for lack of payment right now. But that hasn’t been universal." The cruelty! kstp.com/money-matter...
Federal shutdown halts Minnesota energy assistance funds; utility companies offer aid
Around 125,000 households and roughly 300,000 Minnesotans rely on the program annually. 25,000 households depend on propane or other delivered fuels, which are not protected under Minnesota’s Cold Wea...
kstp.com
November 12, 2025 at 2:24 PM
“We’ve heard from a number of utilities who are willing to be patient and help support their households getting on those payment plans and avoid disconnecting them for lack of payment right now. But that hasn’t been universal." The cruelty! kstp.com/money-matter...
Reposted by Energy and Policy Institute
Southern Company: The Administration is so great. The new nuclear deal is amazing. So promising!
Investor: Does the federal government's new $80 billion agreement make you more likely to build new nuclear?
Southern Company: No.
Investor: Does the federal government's new $80 billion agreement make you more likely to build new nuclear?
Southern Company: No.
November 4, 2025 at 6:48 PM
Southern Company: The Administration is so great. The new nuclear deal is amazing. So promising!
Investor: Does the federal government's new $80 billion agreement make you more likely to build new nuclear?
Southern Company: No.
Investor: Does the federal government's new $80 billion agreement make you more likely to build new nuclear?
Southern Company: No.
FirstEnergy reported earnings of nearly $1B last year, but expects its customers to foot the bill for its $108M accounting screw up. energyandpolicy.org/firstenergy-...
FirstEnergy wants to make Ohio customers pay $108 million for its corporate accounting foul-up
FirstEnergy wants to add $108 million to the rates paid by customers of its Ohio utilities so the company can avoid taking a loss for a corporate accounting foul-up flagged repeatedly in audits by sta...
energyandpolicy.org
November 7, 2025 at 9:25 PM
FirstEnergy reported earnings of nearly $1B last year, but expects its customers to foot the bill for its $108M accounting screw up. energyandpolicy.org/firstenergy-...
Voters had receipts.
“This was a referendum on Georgia Power and high electric bills,” said Daniel Tait, research and communications director at the nonprofit utility watchdog group @energyandpolicy.org
san.com/cc/high-elec...
san.com/cc/high-elec...
High electric bills proved a motivating issue for voters in Georgia, New Jersey
From Georgia to New Jersey, rising electricity bills were on millions of voters’ minds as they cast ballots on Tuesday.
san.com
November 6, 2025 at 6:16 PM
Voters had receipts.
Reposted by Energy and Policy Institute
There's a campaign underway in Michigan to rein in runaway political spending by monopoly utilities and certain other corporations. Half the funds raised so far to oppose the measure trace back to Consumers Energy. energyandpolicy.org/consumers-en...
Consumers Energy bankrolling opposition to Michigan political spending limits
Half of the funds raised so far to combat restrictions on utility political spending trace back to Consumers Energy.
energyandpolicy.org
November 4, 2025 at 5:17 PM
There's a campaign underway in Michigan to rein in runaway political spending by monopoly utilities and certain other corporations. Half the funds raised so far to oppose the measure trace back to Consumers Energy. energyandpolicy.org/consumers-en...
A new Michigan ballot initiative aims to keep monopoly utility money out of politics. You'll be shocked to hear who coughed up half the cash raised so far to fight... Find out here: energyandpolicy.org/consumers-en...
Consumers Energy bankrolling opposition to Michigan political spending limits
Half of the funds raised so far to combat restrictions on utility political spending trace back to Consumers Energy.
energyandpolicy.org
November 4, 2025 at 9:08 PM
A new Michigan ballot initiative aims to keep monopoly utility money out of politics. You'll be shocked to hear who coughed up half the cash raised so far to fight... Find out here: energyandpolicy.org/consumers-en...
Reposted by Energy and Policy Institute
"Bills are going to go up — dramatically," said Kerwin Olson of Indiana's Citizens Action Coalition. Ratepayers "can't afford to pay what they're paying today. And disappointingly, the commission somehow justified that this proposal satisfies the affordability pillar of state policy."
Duke gets approval for two new gas units but does not have to shutter aging coal plants
After months of controversy, Duke received approval for two new natural gas units — and clean energy incentives to build them.
www.indystar.com
October 30, 2025 at 5:13 PM
"Bills are going to go up — dramatically," said Kerwin Olson of Indiana's Citizens Action Coalition. Ratepayers "can't afford to pay what they're paying today. And disappointingly, the commission somehow justified that this proposal satisfies the affordability pillar of state policy."
Oh look, data center developers want more data centers. Who would have guessed?
The Missourians for Data and Technology Advancement coalition, which launched Monday, said they aim to promote "smart, sustainable, and transparent data center development." www.ksdk.com/article/news...
The Missourians for Data and Technology Advancement coalition, which launched Monday, said they aim to promote "smart, sustainable, and transparent data center development." www.ksdk.com/article/news...
Data center developers launch new Missouri coalition, but don't share the power-hungry developments' risks
MODATA says it wants to lead Missouri's data center expansion responsibly. Critics say they're missing critical details.
www.ksdk.com
October 30, 2025 at 2:09 PM
Oh look, data center developers want more data centers. Who would have guessed?
The Missourians for Data and Technology Advancement coalition, which launched Monday, said they aim to promote "smart, sustainable, and transparent data center development." www.ksdk.com/article/news...
The Missourians for Data and Technology Advancement coalition, which launched Monday, said they aim to promote "smart, sustainable, and transparent data center development." www.ksdk.com/article/news...
When industry proposes "alternative ratemaking" as a means to reduce regulatory lag...we can't always believe them. Often this is used as a guise to introduce rate plans that reduce oversight around large-scale buildout that customers end up paying for. thenevadaindependent.com/article/sout...
Southwest Gas wants to ‘modernize’ how it sets rates. Critics fear risks to customers - The Nevada Independent
Southwest Gas wants to ‘modernize’ how it sets rates. Critics fear risks to customers. Read more from The Nevada Independent.
thenevadaindependent.com
October 29, 2025 at 3:52 PM
When industry proposes "alternative ratemaking" as a means to reduce regulatory lag...we can't always believe them. Often this is used as a guise to introduce rate plans that reduce oversight around large-scale buildout that customers end up paying for. thenevadaindependent.com/article/sout...
Doesn't look like clean energy is raising the rates for folks in El Paso - looks like an expensive gas plant and shareholder profits instead! El Paso Electric is in the final stages of securing a rate increase that could raise bills ~$22/month. elpasomatters.org/2025/10/26/e...
As El Paso Electric rate increase looms, some say utility is seeking to make too much profit
If the rate increase is approved as is, El Paso Electric has said the average residential customers’ monthly bill will increase to $118 on average compared with $96 currently.
elpasomatters.org
October 27, 2025 at 3:52 PM
Doesn't look like clean energy is raising the rates for folks in El Paso - looks like an expensive gas plant and shareholder profits instead! El Paso Electric is in the final stages of securing a rate increase that could raise bills ~$22/month. elpasomatters.org/2025/10/26/e...