The Utility Playbook of Bad Behavior

The Conservative Energy Network (CEN) has launched the UtilityPlaybook.com to track the ways monopoly utilities use their influence and power to block competition and maintain outdated fossil fuel and nuclear power plants. The new website also includes some of the great work being done at the nonprofit Energy and Policy Institute to track corruption and dirty tricks by incumbent utilities – moves that are slowing the transition to a clean energy future while charging ratepayers full freight for dirty energy.

The Playbook charts out each move the utility company will make in familiar football terms — home-field advantage, the blitz, the handoff, exclusive contracts, pass interference and owning the referees. The “plays” identify strategies ranging from “buy community support with naming rights” and “by using regulatory capture.” 

Familiarize yourself with the “Utility Hall of Shame” which charts the bad behavior of utilities across the country. You can also contribute to the project by submitting your own bad experience with an incumbent utility.

Check out the Playbook here.