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

Xcel Energy supports gas industry group pushing false claims in Colorado

Xcel Energy is supporting a new gas industry effort in Colorado that has published false claims about the costs of electrification. The new gas industry group launched the same week...

/ February 3, 2022

Utility trade associations say utilities are disclosing climate risks to investors. Major investors disagree

The trade associations for investor-owned electric and gas utilities claim that their member companies already provide investors with sufficient information about how utilities are navigating climate risks, such as reducing...

/ January 11, 2022

AEP admits in court: Its corporate accountability reports are mere “puffery”

Lawyers for American Electric Power (AEP) described statements made in the electric utility’s annual corporate accountability reports as mere corporate “puffery” and a federal judge agreed. In an order issued...

/ December 21, 2021
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

Xcel Ramps Up Municipal Spending in Hometown Mayoral Election

Utility executives and lobbyists gave thousands to Mayor Jacob Frey, who won his re-election

/ December 16, 2021

Southwest Gas aims to make customers pay for its American Gas Association membership dues

Southwest Gas Corporation is asking Nevada regulators to allow it to charge its customers in Nevada hundreds of thousands of dollars in dues to support the gas utility’s membership in...

/ December 15, 2021