South Carolina's House Speaker and Senate President are seeking to formally intervene in the proceedings for NextEra and Dominion's proposed merger. Environmental advocates and small business groups have concerns. @thestate.com has the full rundown: www.thestate.com/latest-news/...

Questions surface about roles of SC House speaker, Senate president in mega utility merger

South Carolina utility regulators are considering whether a $67 billion merger between Dominion and NextEra is in the public interest.

thestate.com

Arizona Public Service funds Consumer Energy Alliance, an industry front group behind recent social media ads touting the utility's new proposal to convert a retired coal fired power plant to methane gas. https://bit.ly/4pOHV8v

APS funds fossil fuel front group advertising in Arizona

Fossil fuel front group Consumer Energy Alliance (CEA) is advertising one of its funders, Arizona Public Service’s (APS), proposal to convert Cholla Power Plant from coal to methane gas.

bit.ly

"But a rising portion of every bill also goes to investors, as illustrated by a report published in March by the Energy & Policy Institute, which found that, for a customer paying a $200 monthly electric bill, roughly $30 went to corporate profits." https://bit.ly/4fv3x6s

‘We aren’t prepared’: New Orleans City Council pushes Entergy on unreliable equipment | The Lens

While Entergy struggles with everyday power outages, city officials are skeptical of the utility’s ability to keep the lights on during hurricane season [...]Read More... from ‘We aren’t prepared’: Ne...

thelensnola.org

Michigan utility interests are contributing big to a campaign to block a ballot initiative that would *checks notes* limit utility political spending... https://bit.ly/4c7HFvG

Michigan utility interests pump $100K into fight against political spending ban

Consumers Energy’s parent company and a dark money group tied to DTE Energy each gave $50,000 to the opposition campaign, new disclosures show.

energyandpolicy.org

More Ohioans are getting their power shut off as energy costs surge https://bit.ly/4pK2fYR

More Ohioans are getting their power shut off as energy costs surge • Ohio Capital Journal

This story was originally published by Canary Media. More and more Ohioans are struggling to pay their utility bills. That’s one clear takeaway from the latest utility reports showing how many custome...

ohiocapitaljournal.com

All eyes are on Maryland as regulators weigh whether to heed consumer advocates' demands to lower Pepco's return on equity as the outrage over soaring utility bills grows. https://bit.ly/4pIAHmB

Utility profits in the crosshairs amid affordability concerns

As states target utilities’ return on equity, Pepco’s rate case in Maryland, where the consumer advocate is arguing for an ROE cut, is being closely watched.

utilitydive.com

Michigan's Board of Canvassers advanced a ballot measure on Friday that would ban monopoly utilities from giving to political campaigns. The measure now heads to the legislature where lawmakers can either enact it or leave it to voters decide on Nov. 3 https://bit.ly/4h0H8iH

Proposal to ban DTE, Consumers political spending qualifies for ballot

The proposal could alter how cash flows in Michigan politics, banning monopoly utilities and large government contractors from giving to political campaigns and requiring new disclosures for "dark mon...

mlive.com

Trump is waging war on energy efficiency. www.nytimes.com/2026/07/21/c...

The U.S. Is Pulling Back on Energy Efficiency

The Trump administration is undoing fuel-saving efforts even as war in Iran, data centers and heat waves are pushing up gasoline and electricity costs.

nytimes.com

An investigation by @us.theguardian.com found that the Department of Energy under Trump has removed more than 1,600 webpages from its site, including tips for how to stay cool during the summer when energy bills spike.

Oops! Utility "boasted that it had “mobilized dozens of industry associations, businesses, labor organizations, and community partners to submit public comments” Metadata shows they fed them talking points. Great sleuthing by @energyandpolicy.org energyandpolicy.org/maryland-gas...

Maryland PSC delays key Future of Gas rule after utility-linked opposition campaign

Under utility pressure, Chair Kumar Barve’s Commission put off action ending line extension allowances - subsidies that shift the cost of new gas hookups onto existing customers.

energyandpolicy.org

"Before their utility regulators roll out the welcome mat, they should take a close look at how NextEra does business in its backyard," the Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board warns VA regulators and politicians about NextEra's Dominion acquisition. bit.ly/4vweFWp

A pressure campaign by Maryland gas utilities manufactured opposition to a proposal that would have lowered utility bills - ending gas line extension allowances (LEAs) - and Chris Kumar Barve’s PSC folded and put the proposal on hold. energyandpolicy.org/maryland-gas...

Maryland PSC delays key Future of Gas rule after utility-linked opposition campaign

Under utility pressure, Chair Kumar Barve’s Commission put off action ending line extension allowances - subsidies that shift the cost of new gas hookups onto existing customers.

energyandpolicy.org

The Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board came out swinging against NextEra's acquisition of Dominion saying, "If Florida is any guide, customers in Dominion-serviced states should expect the higher rates and unwelcome political influence that FPL customers face, but on steroids."

NC Supreme Court upholds Duke Energy rate hike amid calls for recusal energyandpolicy.org/nc-supreme-c...

Amid financial conflicts and recusal concerns, NC Supreme Court upholds Duke Energy rate hike

The NC Supreme Court upheld a Duke Energy rate even as ethics questions swirled around two justices who voted for it.

energyandpolicy.org

David Stevenson, who led a national campaign against offshore wind power for the right-wing think tank affiliated Caesar Rodney Institute, is now fighting land-based solar and wind farms and promoting fossil fuels in Michigan. https://bit.ly/4uspMhC

‘Man who killed offshore wind’ now pushing fossil fuels and nuclear for Koch-funded Mackinac Center in Michigan

David Stevenson, who led a national campaign against offshore wind power for the Delaware-based Caesar Rodney Institute, is now fighting land-based solar and wind farms and promoting fossil fuels and ...

energyandpolicy.org

Our own @vardiitai.bsky.social is featured in this story by @wfsb.com calling for an investigation into CT's Public Utilities Regulatory Authority after public records reveal a behind-closed-doors relationship right before a commissioner approved a rate increase. www.wfsb.com/2026/06/08/w...

Watchdog calls for investigation after PURA commissioner-utility communications revealed in rate case

Our I-Team obtained public records showing a state regulator was talking and texting with a utility company executive, while deciding on a requested increase in electric bills.

wfsb.com

As utility CEOs gather in Las Vegas this week for Edison Electric's annual conference, a reminder that the electric utility industry reported more than $52 billion in profits in 2024 - with profits rising each year this decade. #EEI2026 energyandpolicy.org/utility-prof...

Want a break down of the utility business model and what's contributing to rising utility costs? Check out this segment from @ms.now. www.youtube.com/watch?v=64Mf...

Why your utility bill keeps outpacing inflation

YouTube video by MS NOW

youtube.com

Primary elections were held last week across the Southeast and showed a trend of incumbent utility regulators losing seats or being forced into runoffs to opponents vowing to hold utilities accountable for rising costs. See the breakdown here: https://bit.ly/3PIMYtO

Utility regulator incumbents struggle in primary elections across the Southeast

Southern voters ousted or forced utility regulatory incumbents into runoffs during primary elections due to rising bills and increased costs.

bit.ly

Raul Claros, a candidate for LA City Council, has started 4 different groups that have taken at least $150k from SoCalGas. Read all about it: energyandpolicy.org/la-council-c...

Los Angeles City Council candidate holds extensive ties to SoCalGas

Raul Claros, a candidate for LA City Council, founded several groups that collectively have received more than $150,000 from SoCalGas over the past decade.

energyandpolicy.org

EPI is hiring! We're looking to fill 3 positions to help expand our accountability work. We are hiring for: -Data Engineer -Research Manager -Research Fellow Applications are due June 17. Visit our jobs page to learn more about the positions and apply: energyandpolicy.org/jobs

The Long Island Power Authority is conducting a review of credit and collection practices, including "protections for seniors, medically vulnerable individuals, and low-income households." nwsdy.li/4v2wN9C

PSEG Long Island apologizes in aggressive bill collection furor

PSEG Long Island issues apology as LIPA and PSEG initiate probes into aggressive bill collection practices following former supervisor's controversial comments.

nwsdy.li

NextEra CEO John Ketchum made $24,192,607 last year. Meanwhile, NextEra is looking to acquire another huge utility, Dominion, with the promise of delivering low bills to customers as demand for data centers skyrockets. https://energyandpolicy.org/nextera-dominion-merger/

You’ve heard of monopolies, but what about megamonopolies? Get ready, because that’s what could happen if NextEra gets approval to acquire Dominion Energy, whose CEOs are some of the highest paid in the industry. Now their customers could pay the price. https://bit.ly/4tIwyj3

NextEra’s acquisition of Dominion would bring history of political control, rate increases to Virginia, Carolinas

NextEra contends customers will benefit from the acquisition. Lawmakers and advocates caution NextEra’s long track record of rate increases and scandals.

bit.ly

"A megamonopoly of this size, with the kind of money to buy political influence that NextEra will have, will be nearly impossible to regulate." @davidpomerantz.bsky.social told @nytimes.com about the merger between NextEra and Dominion Energy. www.nytimes.com/2026/05/17/b...

NextEra Energy to Acquire Dominion, Creating a Utility Giant

nytimes.com

the results of saturday’s primary elections in louisiana are in, and these same three candidates came out on top. stephanie hilferty and john young in district 1 are headed to a june 27 runoff, while john atkins, who won in district 5, will face democrat james green in november.

Energy and Policy Institute@energyandpolicy.org · 3mo ago

Three Republican candidates fighting for two open District 1 and District 5 seats on the Louisiana PSC this year received substantial support from PSC-regulated entities or orgs, PACs or businesses with ties to those enterprises. https://bit.ly/4eHxaBB

We don't want to keep saying this, but I guess we have to: you can't take money from the same groups and people you are supposed to be regulating. *This time* we are looking at you, Louisiana. https://energyandpolicy.org/utilities-executives-louisiana-public-service-commission-races/

Utility-linked donors back candidates for Louisiana’s utility seats

Candidates Hilferty, Young, and Atkins received support from PSC-regulated entities or organizations, PACs or businesses with ties to those enterprises.

energyandpolicy.org

Three Republican candidates fighting for two open District 1 and District 5 seats on the Louisiana PSC this year received substantial support from PSC-regulated entities or orgs, PACs or businesses with ties to those enterprises. https://bit.ly/4eHxaBB

Pepco wants Maryland customers to pay 23% more for electric rates, even as profits rise and Exelon projects higher earnings and dividends. The case is now drawing scrutiny over ROE, affordability, and Pepco’s role in supportive testimony. energyandpolicy.org/pepco-maryla...

From @us.theguardian.com: The issues “feel unjust at face value”, said Jonathan Kim, a research associate with EPI, who authored the report. “It’s the idea that we should be footing the bill for these people’s grotesquely large salaries,” Kim added. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...

CEOs of US’s top energy firms averaged nearly 16% pay raise to $12.3m, review finds

Utility bills are up as much as 40% in some regions, and companies shut off power to customers 13m times in 2025

theguardian.com