Report exposes unconscionable practices of major utility providers against their customers: 'Forced to pay more for our own demise'
Households across America rely on major utility providers to keep their homes running reliably and affordably. However, recent reporting suggests these companies seem to be breaking that trust.
The Center for Biological Diversity released a report showing that despite astronomical profits, six major power companies are hiking prices and shutting off power at potentially dangerous times — all while making the environment worse for people everywhere.
What's happening?
The Center for Biological Diversity called out six companies: Georgia Power, DTE Energy, Duke Energy, Ameren Corporation, Pacific Gas & Electric, and Arizona Public Service. Between them, these companies made $10 billion in profit last year, so they're not exactly hurting.
$3.5 billion of those revenues came from rate hikes between 2023 and 2027 — that's how much more they're charging customers.
Meanwhile, they shut off power at least 662,000 times in 2024, over 400,000 of those during a summer in which much of the U.S. experienced record temperatures. All the unpaid bills that led to those shutoffs could have been covered by a mere 2% of the nearly $7 billion these companies paid out as shareholder dividends.
At the same time, these companies are damaging the environment by investing in more methane gas plants, with 22 more projects planned through 2033.
Watch now: How bad is a gas stove for your home's indoor air quality?
Why are the energy industry's activities important?
It's clear that the current model under which energy providers operate is not the best one for the American people. Prices keep going up as companies squeeze everyday citizens for profit, and that process is only accelerating as AI data centers increase the demand for power.
Meanwhile, the pollution from their methane use is filling the atmosphere with heat-trapping gases, making the world hotter. That's creating dangerous extreme weather events, including heat waves — and then the very same companies are shutting off power and putting vulnerable Americans in danger from that extreme heat.
"[DTE's] reliance on fossil fuels is a direct threat to our health," said DTE customer Mia McPherson at a rate hearing last fall in Detroit, per the Center for Biological Diversity. "Their profits will remain full while we struggle to pay our bills. … We're essentially being forced to pay more for our own demise."
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What's being done about energy companies?
The Center for Biological Diversity's report on the situation is the first step in holding energy providers accountable for their exploitative and damaging practices. The next step is for ordinary people to vote for candidates and laws that will turn the situation around.
"Utilities are bleeding customers dry on the frontlines of climate chaos while executives double down on polluting methane gas plants and return billions to shareholders," said report author Selah Goodson Bell.
"American families can't afford this unreliable, fossil fuel-dependent system, but this report shows that no matter how bad it gets, utility companies will prioritize profits. It's up to state and local governments, along with right-minded regulators, to safeguard people from extreme weather and the life-threatening greed of executives and shareholders."
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Report exposes unconscionable practices of major utility providers against their customers: 'Forced to pay more for our own demise' first appeared on The Cool Down.
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