Rising electricity rates across the country are adding pressure to families and businesses already dealing with inflation in other aspects of their lives. Most Americans get their power from a utility that needs to turn a profit for its investors. And people are fed up with the status quo.
“Across the country, the utilities have just gotten greedy and are asking for more than they need,” says Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes.
Some communities are considering cutting out the profit motive for utilities, taking on the complicated and expensive prospect of moving to public power. But switching from an investor-owned utility to public power is an uphill battle. What are other strategies for reining in corporate greed and making electricity more affordable?
Episode Guests:
Kris Mayes, Arizona Attorney General
Naveena Sadasivam, Investigative Reporter and Editor, Grist
Carroll Fife, Councilmember, District 3, Oakland, California
Jackson Kaspari, Director of Member Services, Community Power Coalition of New Hampshire
For show notes, transcript, and related links, visit https://www.climateone.org/podcasts
Skill Up for Earth: https://skillup.earth
04:00 – Naveena Sadasivam breaks down electric bill drivers by region
14:00 – High bills affected outcome of Georgia Public Utility Commission
17:00 – Tucson town hall held by AZ AG Kris Mayes to discuss power bill
19:00 – Mayes explains why she’s intervening in rate cases
27:00 – Imbalance of power between utility companies and PUCs and consumer advocates
33:00 – Would Arizona legislators consider allowing community choice aggregation
36:00 – Carroll Fife on why she supported a state bill to explore other options to power suppliers
43:40 – Jackson Kaspari explains how community choice aggregation works in New Hampshire
48:00 – Utility pushback
54:00 – Kaspari explains how much work it took to set up CCA in New Hampshire
56:30 – Climate One More Thing
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