Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Daniel Tait @taitdl.bsky.social · 1d

It’s not everyday that you see the illustrious @hankgreen.bsky.social talking about the very subject that constitutes a huge part your life’s work (and let’s be honest, half of my social feeds)…

PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSIONS!

Hank explores key races in Georgia.

Watch here:
youtu.be/UgvE_gPi7Kc?...

I Need 1% of Georgia to Watch This Video

YouTube video by Hank Green

youtu.be

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Daniel Tait @taitdl.bsky.social · 2d

Big Georgia election with even bigger consequences on utility bills in the state.

Story by @alander.bsky.social

georgiarecorder.com/2025/10/13/g...

Georgia Republicans say they fear local elections could help Democrats in statewide utilities race • Georgia Recorder

The special election for the Georgia Public Service Commission seats has Republicans concerned about turnout, fearing local elections could favor Democrats.

georgiarecorder.com

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Reposted by Daniel Tait

David Pomerantz @davidpomerantz.bsky.social · 4d

SIGNED! 🥳🥳🥳💪💪💪

A massive victory for holding monopoly utilities accountable to their customers, and for lowering Californian utility bills.

Thank you to @governor.ca.gov, @asmmarcberman.bsky.social, @senmcnerney.bsky.social, @earthjustice.org, The Utility Reform Network for all your leadership!

David Pomerantz @davidpomerantz.bsky.social · 10d

A bill is sitting on @GavinNewsom’s desk that would lower Californians’ utility bills – all he has to do is sign it. But rumors are swirling that he plans to do the opposite - a move that could prove disastrous for California and for Newsom. A 🧵:

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Reposted by Daniel Tait

RightAboutThat @rightaboutthat.bsky.social · 13d

Municipal Utility rates in Georgia are dramatically lower than Georgia Power customers pay.

Daniel Tait @taitdl.bsky.social · 13d

Florida Politics says Dumping Duke Energy could be bad. AnD ScArY!!!

Is this the same Florida Politics that takes utility money in exchange for priority coverage?

No conflict or ethical issue there at all?

floridapolitics.com/archives/757...

Clearwater’s risky power play: Uncertainty looms and a price tag threatens

City Council should look past the glossy presentation and focus on what the study itself admits.

floridapolitics.com

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Daniel Tait @taitdl.bsky.social · 13d

Florida Politics says Dumping Duke Energy could be bad. AnD ScArY!!!

Is this the same Florida Politics that takes utility money in exchange for priority coverage?

No conflict or ethical issue there at all?

floridapolitics.com/archives/757...

Clearwater’s risky power play: Uncertainty looms and a price tag threatens

City Council should look past the glossy presentation and focus on what the study itself admits.

floridapolitics.com

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Daniel Tait @taitdl.bsky.social · Sep 10

Lots at stake in Georgia!

www.wabe.org/campaigns-ai...

Campaigns aim to get Georgia voters fired up about the Public Service Commission

While any election brings ads, events, door-knocking and other efforts to remind people to get to the polls, this year campaign workers involved in the Georgia Public Service Commission races have ano...

www.wabe.org

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Daniel Tait @taitdl.bsky.social · Aug 13

Since Jan. 2024, Georgia Public Service Commission incumbents Fitz Johnson & Tim Echols took most of their campaign cash from people & companies tied to the utilities they regulate.

The PSC has approved 6 rate hikes since 2022.

Full story: energyandpolicy.org/georgia-psc-...

Georgia PSC incumbents take majority of campaign money from regulated utility interests

Georgia Public Service Commission incumbents Fitz Johnson and Tim Echols have each received most of their campaign funding, since January 2024, from individuals and companies associated with the monop...

energyandpolicy.org

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Daniel Tait @taitdl.bsky.social · Aug 5

This is some of the nastiest work I've ever seen.

Taking customer money collected for federal income taxes and instead sending it to shareholders.

www.msn.com/en-us/news/u...

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Daniel Tait @taitdl.bsky.social · Jul 21

Local utilities, unions, environmentalists, and clean energy advocates don’t usually agree.

They do now. Because privatizing TVA would be an unmitigated disaster.

Alabama Power customers pay 40% more than folks w/ public power from Huntsville Utilities.

www.timesfreepress.com/news/2025/ju...

TVA rallies as MAGA figures raise idea of privatization | Chattanooga Times Free Press

The Tennessee Valley Authority has long relied on elected officials and advocacy groups to head off any discussion of the U.S. government selling it off, an idea that has resurfaced as figures aligned...

www.timesfreepress.com

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Daniel Tait @taitdl.bsky.social · Jul 18

NEWS: Organizations strongly oppose any effort to privatize TVA and condemn privatization as a reckless corporate power grab that threatens the livelihoods, security, and financial well-being of millions across the Tennessee Valley.

energyalabama.org/organization...

Organizations Strongly Oppose Privatization of the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)

PRESS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 18, 2025 Host of Organizations Strongly Oppose Privatization of the Tennessee Valley Authority: Public Power Belongs to the People Tennessee Valley — Followi...

energyalabama.org

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Daniel Tait @taitdl.bsky.social · Jul 17

NEWS: Current Florida Public Service Commissioner Art Graham has been nominated by Trump to the TVA Board of Directors.

www.congress.gov/nomination/1...

www.congress.gov

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Reposted by Daniel Tait

Southern Alliance for Clean Energy @cleanenergy.org · Jul 16

President Trump has nominated Lee Beaman, a Republican mega-donor and scandal-ridden auto executive with "no professional experience in nuclear oversight, utility planning, or grid operations" to the TVA Board, story by @taitdl.bsky.social‬ via @energyandpolicy.org‬ ow.ly/lBAQ50Wq7CK 🔌💡

Trump appoints Lee Beaman to TVA Board despite alleged abuse, election scandals, and secretive political ties - Southern Alliance for Clean Energy (SACE)

This article was written by Daniel Tait and originally posted on the Energy & Policy Institute website.

ow.ly

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Daniel Tait @taitdl.bsky.social · Jul 16

What a shit show Trump has created.

TVA will be privatized over my dead body.

Alexander C. Kaufman @alexckaufman.bsky.social · Jul 16

SCOOP: Yesterday, Trump issued an ultimatum to the only 3 TVA board members he hasn't yet fired.

Fire the CEO or prepare to be fired.

The board balked.

But insiders suspect the president is angling to install an ally who could help revive privatization plans.
www.theatlantic.com/science/arch...

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Daniel Tait @taitdl.bsky.social · Jul 14

You can read my full story for @energyandpolicy.org on Beaman here: energyandpolicy.org/trump-appoin...

/🧵

Trump appoints Lee Beaman to TVA Board despite alleged abuse, election scandals, and secretive political ties

President Trump nominated Lee Beaman, Republican mega-donor and the subject of sexual misconduct allegations, to the board of TVA.

energyandpolicy.org

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Daniel Tait @taitdl.bsky.social · Jul 14

TN Senators Bill Hagerty and Marsha Blackburn recently threw a fit in POWER Magazine saying the TVA board lacked "talent, experience, and gravitas".

Then they nominated Beaman... So much for "talent, experience, and gravitas".

Read their screed here: www.powermag.com/americas-nuc...

America's Nuclear Renaissance: How the TVA Can Lead Our Energy Future

Senators Blackburn and Hagerty call for leadership reform at TVA to spearhead America's nuclear revival and compete with China through small modular reactor technology.

www.powermag.com

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Daniel Tait @taitdl.bsky.social · Jul 14

Trump removed three experienced TVA board members this year, eliminating the quorum necessary to conduct regular business:

1. Michelle Moore (former White House sustainability lead)

2. Joe Ritch (longtime TVA board member)

3. Beth Geer (longtime clean energy adviser)

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Daniel Tait @taitdl.bsky.social · Jul 14

That investigation has stalled after Speaker Mike Johnson, Beaman’s rent-free tenant, took power.

More on that from ProPublica: www.propublica.org/article/mike...

Speaker Mike Johnson Is Living in a D.C. House That Is the Center of a Pastor’s Secretive Influence Campaign

The Capitol Hill townhouse is owned by a major Republican donor. It’s the headquarters of a little-known political influence project that has reached a number of powerful Republican politicians.

www.propublica.org

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Daniel Tait @taitdl.bsky.social · Jul 14

During the 2022 cycle, he served as treasurer for Rep. Andy Ogles’ campaign while also funding a PAC backing Ogles. He is listed as “Witness 1” in an ethics report that recommended subpoenas.

You can read the ethics report here: www.documentcloud.org/documents/25...

Beaman Ogles Review No. 24-3057 OCE-Report-and-Findings

www.documentcloud.org

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Daniel Tait @taitdl.bsky.social · Jul 14

Beaman is also a member of the Council for National Policy, a Christian nationalist group that opposes environmental regulation and promotes climate denial.

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Daniel Tait @taitdl.bsky.social · Jul 14

What he does have:

- Allegations of sexual coercion/abuse in divorce records

– A Capitol Hill townhouse where Speaker Mike Johnson has lived rent-free

– A role in a House ethics case involving campaign finance violations

- More than $450k in contributions to Trump and allies

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Daniel Tait @taitdl.bsky.social · Jul 14

Lee Beaman has no apparent energy experience. But he’s Trump’s pick to help run TVA.

Beaman would oversee TVA’s $12 billion budget, nuclear fleet, and long-term planning.

A doozy of a thread 🧵

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Daniel Tait @taitdl.bsky.social · Jun 30

Georgia Power wants to hide from the public:

1. Cost of its expansion plan
2. How much power big users will need
3. How much each customer class might need to pay
4. The types of power plants it will need
5. Assumptions it uses
6. Info on major outages
7. Transmission costs

🤡

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Daniel Tait @taitdl.bsky.social · Jun 25

Another big nuclear trip from TVA. Looks like Sequoyah 1 and 2 went back offline yesterday.

Unit 2 had just come back online.

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Daniel Tait @taitdl.bsky.social · Jun 18

Georgia Power is a monopoly with captive customers. It does not need to redact filings like it’s running a CIA operation. It's just hiding bad decisions.

Props to the Southern Environmental Law Center and Georgia Interfaith Power & Light for pushing back.

www.documentcloud.org/documents/25...

www.documentcloud.org

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Daniel Tait @taitdl.bsky.social · Jun 18

Georgia PSC District 3 Democratic primary headed to a runoff between Keisha Waites and Peter Hubbard.

georgiarecorder.com/2025/06/17/l...

Two Democrats running for Georgia Public Service Commission are poised for a runoff • Georgia Recorder

Two Democratic candidates for the Georgia Public Service Commission are headed to a runoff while Republican Commissioner Tim Echols handily beat his GOP challenger Tuesday night, according to unoffici...

georgiarecorder.com

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