Category: Articles

After its $2.65 billion gas asset acquisition, DTE Energy tells Wall Street there is nothing to worry about as Fitch downgrades the company

With an already troubled gas sector roiled by fallout from the coronavirus pandemic, DTE Energy is facing concerns from shareholders over the company’s growing exposure to natural gas.  DTE Midstream,...

/ April 28, 2020
Utility Corruption

Utility CEOs received over $1 billion in executive compensation from 2017 – 2019

Investor-owned utilities' CEO compensation was up 26% in 2019 over 2018.

/ April 27, 2020
Southern Company CEO Tom Fanning on CNBC

Tom Fanning Floats Misleading Updated Greenhouse Gas Goal

The updated greenhouse gas goal, as described by Fanning, would allow Southern Company to claim “net-zero” emissions by taking credit for transportation electrification, despite the company’s continued use of fossil...

/ April 16, 2020
A PG&E smart meter. Utilities are unevenly applying late fees and reconnecting customers who had been disconnected before pandemic crisis

Caught in patchwork of policies and pledges, some utility customers may still be awaiting electricity restoration or racking up fees

A mosaic of state policies and voluntary pledges has meant that the effects of missing a utility payment are playing out unevenly across the country.

/ April 14, 2020
An effort to keep Colorado's largest coal plant running, supposedly by the "Independence Institute," was secretly funded and coordinated by a front group for coal mining companies and the state of Wyoming.

Coal mining companies and state of Wyoming secretly funded “Independence Institute” campaign to keep Colorado coal plant running

Coal mining companies and the state of Wyoming secretly coordinated and funded a campaign against Xcel Energy’s proposal to close two units at the largest coal plant in Colorado. While...

/ March 24, 2020

Reports find Vectren customers can save millions if renewables replace coal, but utility continues with coal investments

Morgan Stanley and Sierra Club analyses find Vectren has opportunity to benefit customers in upcoming energy plan filings

/ March 18, 2020

Mississippi Power Doubles Down on Uneconomic Coal Despite Southern Company’s “Low to No Carbon” Claim

Mississippi Power, a Southern Company subsidiary, is spending as much as $96.8 million to extend operations at the coal-fired Plant Daniel, despite the fact that the utility could save customers...

/ March 17, 2020

Utilities that have and have not suspended disconnects amid COVID-19

EPI is tracking the states that have binding protections against electricity disconnections and when the protections expire.

/ March 13, 2020
Utility decarbonization trajectories

Morgan Stanley: Duke, other utilities ignoring profit opportunity by failing to decarbonize rapidly

Morgan Stanley analysts say utilities can grow earnings by accelerating coal-to-renewables switch, but some utilities are letting the opportunity slip away.

/ March 12, 2020