Chip Beeker Alabama Public Service Commission

Alabama Commissioner Chip Beeker’s Catfish Farm Loans $100k to Campaign After Receiving PPP Forgiveness

An Alabama utility regulator is funding his re-election campaign with a loan from his private farm, which has received hundreds of thousands of dollars in federal subsidies, despite the regulator’s...

/ May 18, 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
LION PAC Alabama Power Jeremy Oden

Alabama Power-funded PAC builds almost $4 million election warchest

Alabama Commissioner Jeremy Oden may have used his office for campaign purposes

/ May 12, 2022

Xcel Energy funding climate opposition in Minnesota

The utility's PAC has given $114,949 to Republican candidates, funds, and party units since 2017

/ May 9, 2022

Southwest Gas launches a pro-fossil gas social media influencer campaign

Facing pressure from policies to electrify buildings away from gas use, Southwest Gas appears to have launched a pro-fossil gas marketing campaign with paid social media influencers. The TikTok, Instagram,...

/ April 25, 2022

Alabama Power contributed more than $176k to leaders of Alabama’s anti-LGTBQ+ bills

Alabama Power and its political action committee have contributed more than $176,000 since January 2021 to Alabama politicians who drove that state’s passage of anti-LGTBQ+ bills, including Alabama Governor Kay...

/ April 20, 2022

CenterPoint boosts CEO pay to $37.8 million, blowing past other utilities

David Lesar’s hefty raise comes as CenterPoint customers face soaring utility bills

/ April 19, 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

CenterPoint Using Free Vacations, Customer Cash to Sell Builders on Gas Appliances

CenterPoint asked regulators for $239,958 per year for gas water heater incentives

/ February 23, 2022

Southwest Gas and NV Energy-funded groups advocate in favor of gas in Nevada’s “future of gas” docket 

Several groups calling on the Public Utilities Commission of Nevada (PUCN) for the continued use and expansion of fossil gas infrastructure in the state have ties to Southwest Gas and...

/ February 9, 2022