Customers in several states, including Florida and Illinois, have increasingly learned that their utilities have provided the money behind schemes to influence politicians and elections. EPI’s report offers specific remedies that policymakers can adopt in three broad categories:First, policymakers can modernize rules to prevent utilities from using ratepayer money for any political activity. Second, policymakers should adopt mandatory disclosure mechanisms to ensure that the public and regulators have better tools to catch utilities that continue to break those rules. Finally, policymakers should set up explicit enforcement regimes to deter utilities from breaking the rules. FERC considering action on trade association, charitable, political costsSome policymakers are considering several of the solutions raised by EPI.

Source: Washington Post January 26, 2023 15:09 UTC