Utilities, utility affiliates, natural gas marketers, and related vendors with business in front of the Georgia Public Service Commission have funded two outside ventures connected to Georgia Public Service Commissioner Tim Echols. Those two ventures are “Energy Matters,” a weekly radio show hosted by Echols, and the “Clean Energy Roadshow,” a traveling alternative fuel vehicle showcase that lists Echols as founder and host.

Both ventures publicly acknowledge sponsors that include regulated monopoly utilities like Georgia Power or entities like law firms that represent companies with business at the Public Service Commission (PSC). Those same companies routinely come before the PSC on matters like electric and gas rate-setting, fuel cost recovery, infrastructure planning, and long term resource planning. Echols is one of five commissioners who vote on those cases.

Echols did not respond to the Energy and Policy Institute’s (EPI) requests for comment about how these ventures are funded, how sponsorship funds are handled, or whether any payments flow to him personally, to his private company, or to his campaign.

Energy Matters

“Energy Matters” is a one-hour radio program airing on Cox Media Group’s WGAU and in other Georgia markets. The station describes the show as “about helping you save money, use technology and be more sustainable,” and instructs listeners to email questions to “psctim@gmail.com,” explicitly connecting the show to Echols’ identity as a Georgia Public Service Commissioner. 

Episodes of “Energy Matters” are branded around Echols personally, and frequently feature topics germane to his role as a regulator, including electric rates, data center load, and electric vehicles. The program page identifies Echols as the host and includes a “Sponsors” section. 

EPI compiled audio recordings and transcripts from every episode of the radio show through August 30, 2025. Energy Matters disclosed its sponsors including Georgia Power and other utilities such as Green Power EMC which is owned by electric membership cooperatives, natural gas marketers, as well as legal and consulting firms that represent clients in front of the commission. On October 29, 2025, Echols posted a new podcast episode titled, “Tim’s future is on the line. What will happen?”. The episode began with an ad criticizing Democrats running for the PSC and supporting Echols and the other Republican incumbent running to keep his PSC seat, Fitz Johnson.

Clean Energy Roadshow

Echols also hosts a traveling event series marketed interchangeably as the “Clean Energy Roadshow” or the “Alternative Fuel Vehicle Roadshow”. The Roadshow is described as a “lunch and learn fleet planning” seminar and vehicle showcase for technologies such as electric vehicles, propane, compressed natural gas, and hydrogen. The Roadshow’s 2025 flyer and website promote three tour stops, in Savannah, Macon, and Lawrenceville, with panel discussions, “ride and drive” demos, and a complimentary lunch. 

The Roadshow materials identify Echols as “Founder,” “Host,” and “Public Service Commissioner Tim Echols.” The flyer and website describe him as Vice Chair of the Georgia Public Service Commission, note that he “created the Clean Energy Roadshow,” and list his official PSC email address as a contact. The “read more” link on his Clean Energy Roadshow biography links back to the official PSC website. The PSC issued a news release in July 2025 celebrating the Roadshow’s 15th year.

The Roadshow also identifies Joy Kramer as “Producer,” credits her company Event Energy Partners LLC with producing the tour, and describes the Roadshow as a format that brings “free business to business educational events on alternative fuel vehicles and clean energy” to multiple cities. Kramer did not respond to questions from EPI regarding how money from the Roadshow is collected or used, or about the relationship between Echols and Kramer’s companies.

The Roadshow website lists a copyright line for “© 2023 ALTERNATIVE FUEL VEHICLE ROADSHOW,” along with a P.O. Box in Atlanta, an event phone number, and an administrative email. The site does not identify a registered nonprofit, LLC, corporation, or state agency as the legal owner of the Roadshow or as the payee for sponsorship funds. EPI was unable to locate a corporate entity in Georgia named “Alternative Fuel Vehicle Roadshow”.

The 2024 sponsor lists for the Roadshow include Georgia Power, Atlanta Gas Light, Southern Company Gas, Gas South, Liberty Utilities, and the Georgia Municipal Gas Authority, alongside automakers, infrastructure vendors, and technical colleges. Many of these companies come before the PSC for approval of regulated spending, infrastructure construction, gas supply, and recovery of fuel costs. Roadshow materials direct potential sponsors and attendees to contact Joy Kramer or use Roadshow contact information for sponsorship interest.

Campaign finance disclosures filed by Echols in October 2025 show his political committee reimbursing a hotel stay and ground transportation to the Clean Energy Roadshow, blurring the line between his campaign, his official duties, and his outside ventures.

In other words, the Roadshow markets itself as an educational and fleet planning resource for local governments and commercial fleets, and the Roadshow was founded and is hosted by a current PSC commissioner. The Roadshow is also publicly sponsored by regulated utilities and gas marketers. 

It is unclear how much PSC-regulated utilities or any other companies have contributed to the Roadshow, how sponsorship money is spent, or if Echols or his campaign derive any income. Echols’ office in the PSC promoted the Roadshow in a press release, and the Roadshow promoted Echols in his role as a Georgia Public Service Commissioner.

T&W Echols LLC

Public business records filed with the State of Georgia show that Echols created a private company called T&W Echols LLC in February 2023. The filing lists Timothy Echols and his spouse as organizers and uses the same Hoschton, Georgia address that Echols reports for his political committee, Friends for Tim Echols. Echols lists T&W Echols LLC on his annual “Financial Disclosure Statement” with the Georgia Secretary of State. The filing does not require Echols to disclose the amount of income he receives from the company.

Echols’ most recent campaign disclosures, filed in October 2025, show that his political committee paid for “radio airtime and production costs,” and related media expenses. EPI asked Echols if these payments were related to his radio show but he did not respond.

It is unclear if T&W Echols LLC is involved in the Energy Matters podcast or the Clean Energy Roadshow.