Put Ratepayers First, Not Utility Monopolies
If you feel like your electric bill is draining your wallet faster than ever, you’re not wrong. Families across Pennsylvania and the country are being squeezed by rising utility rates. But here’s the truth that too many politicians in Harrisburg and Washington would rather ignore: It’s not the cost of generating power that has caused such high electric bills. It’s the utilities and their poles, wires, and profit schemes.
Investor-owned utility monopolies have figured out the perfect racket. The more they spend, the more they earn. Every new pole, every shiny substation, every mile of wire is a chance to rack up bigger returns for Wall Street investors, even if those projects are not needed. It’s called “gold plating,” and it’s one of the biggest reasons your bill has kept going up while the actual cost of electricity generation has basically stayed flat for the last decade.
As Felice Fein recently wrote in the Delaware Valley Journal:
“Utilities can earn returns on virtually every dollar they spend on infrastructure, creating incentives for them to overbuild or spend more than necessary. This practice, known as ‘gold plating,’ drives up costs for ratepayers without necessarily improving service.”
You can read her full piece here: Fein: Harrisburg and D.C. Politicians Should Put Ratepayers First.
The Monopoly Problem
Now, utilities aren’t satisfied with just controlling the delivery side of the business. They want more control over generation, too. If they succeed, competition gets choked out, and families will be stuck paying whatever price the monopoly sets. Once that happens, say goodbye to transparency, innovation, and affordability.
Politicians Need to Choose Sides
Ratepayers deserve leaders who fight for them—not for the utility lobby. That means:
- Blocking monopoly expansion. Don’t let utilities seize control over generation and undermine markets that should remain competitive.
- Demanding transparency. Every infrastructure project, every dollar spent, every rate hike must be justified—not rubber-stamped.
- Fixing the incentives. Utilities should earn by delivering affordable, reliable service—not by gold-plating projects that fatten their bottom line.
A Matter of Justice and Common Sense
At the end of the day, families shouldn’t have to choose between paying their electric bill and putting food on the table. Ratepayers deserve fairness, accountability, and a system that works for them—not just for monopoly utilities and their investors.
The politicians in Harrisburg and Washington face a simple choice: stand with the ratepayers or stand with the monopolies. Common sense says: put families first.
