Utility regulators’ ties with energy and technology companies are coming under increasing scrutiny, The Washington Post reports.
The conservative Regulators Roundtable has organized private, industry-funded retreats where utility commissioners meet with executives from companies including Google, NRG Energy and major utilities. The organization says the gatherings are educational and give regulators opportunities to discuss issues such as electricity demand, data centers, energy infrastructure, reliability and affordability.
The relationships have raised conflict-of-interest concerns because utility commissioners can influence electricity rates and decide whether utilities can build power plants, transmission lines and other major infrastructure. Several companies involved with the Roundtable are pursuing billions of dollars in projects to meet growing electricity demand, particularly from AI and data centers. The Roundtable denies any conflicts and says no official regulatory actions take place during its events.
The organization is also politically active, providing campaign training and support for conservative utility commissioners in states where the positions are elected. Some commissioners have participated enthusiastically, while others have declined invitations because of concerns about the group’s political connections or how the relationships might appear to ratepayers.
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