All posts by David Pomerantz

David Pomerantz is the Executive Director of the Energy and Policy Institute.

Ohio bill would bar utilities from charging customers for politics

Separate legislation would protect children, elderly, low-income customers from shut-offs.

/ September 6, 2023
Utility Corruption

Connecticut passes bill prohibiting utilities from charging ratepayers for political activities

Connecticut could become the second state to pass utility accountability legislation in 2023.

/ May 26, 2023
Utility Corruption

As Householder trial begins, EPI releases guide for policymakers to protect ratepayers from utility scandals

State and federal policymakers can adopt a series of policy changes that would ban utilities from charging customers for their political operations and make it harder for them to conduct...

/ January 26, 2023
Southern Company Matrix Scandal

Tom Fanning Southern Company Matrix Scandal: What don’t we know?

A long-time consultant for Alabama Power hired a private investigator to surveil Tom Fanning, the CEO of its parent company, Southern Company, according to documents reported by AL.com yesterday.  Matrix,...

/ August 4, 2022
A picture of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce building.

Utilities that support Inflation Reduction Act are members of trade groups attacking it

Utilities have said climate bill would be good for them and their customers, but some of their trade groups like the Chamber of Commerce and NAM are trying to kill...

/ August 4, 2022
John Oliver discusses utility scandals with title card reading "Utilities" and images of electric infrastructure

John Oliver explains utility scandals

Last Week Tonight explains how utilities harm customers and the climate, with little accountability due to influence over regulators.

/ May 16, 2022

Political operative Julia Johnson to leave FirstEnergy board as fallout from bribery scandal continues

A long-time political operative for utilities and telecom companies, Julia L. Johnson, is one of six members of FirstEnergy’s board of directors who will not seek re-election this year under...

/ March 24, 2022
Utility Corruption

FERC issues Notice of Inquiry to understand how it can protect customers from subsidizing trade association political activities

Federal energy regulators issued questions to the public last week as part of a process they may use to make it more difficult for the nation’s electric and gas utilities...

/ December 20, 2021
Alabama Power Headquarters building

Alabama Power to buy Calhoun plant despite rising gas prices

Purchase risks bill increases for customers, comes in spite of parent company's climate goal

/ November 22, 2021

Four major Ohio utilities shut off customers’ electricity 200,000 times during COVID-19 pandemic

AEP, FirstEnergy, Duke Energy, and DP&L disconnected Ohio customers who couldn't pay their bills during the Covid-19 pandemic.

/ July 9, 2021