daily · Clean Energy

EPI analysis: utility giving to seven state-focused political groups reaches a record

The Energy and Policy Institute reports $12.7 million in utility and trade-association contributions so far in 2026 and $23.7 million for the 2025-2026 cycle. The totals cover seven specified political groups, not all utility political spending.

By Greener Numbers Editorial Team · Published October 24, 2026 · Updated 10/24/2026

The Energy and Policy Institute said on October 23 that utility companies and their trade associations had contributed $12.7 million so far in 2026 to seven major partisan political groups focused on state-level elections. The watchdog called that the largest annual total in its analysis of IRS filings dating back to 2002. Fourth-quarter data had not yet been reported.

EPI put contributions for the 2025-2026 election cycle at $23.7 million, above the previous cycle's $18.9 million. Those figures cover the seven organizations in its database. They are not a tally of every utility political donation, lobbying expense or other form of political spending.

The organizations are the Republican Governors Association, Republican Attorneys General Association, Republican State Leadership Committee and GOPAC, plus the Democratic Governors Association, Democratic Attorneys General Association and Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee. EPI reported $14.9 million for the Republican groups and $8.8 million for the Democratic groups this cycle.

NextEra Energy led the utilities in EPI's analysis with $4.26 million this year. A $2.5 million contribution from its Florida Power & Light subsidiary to the Republican Governors Association on September 21 accounted for much of that total. EPI described it as the largest single utility contribution to any of the seven groups in its database.

State politics matter to electricity customers because elected officials shape utility oversight. EPI notes that governors appoint utility regulators in 38 states, attorneys general can intervene in rate and merger cases, and legislatures write the laws that regulators enforce. Those institutional connections explain why the spending is relevant to energy costs; they do not establish that a particular donation caused a rate decision.

The figures are attributed to EPI's analysis rather than an independent re-audit of every filing. The published totals are incomplete for the full year and limited to the seven named groups. Readers should not treat them as a household bill increase, a finding of unlawful conduct or proof that customers paid for a particular contribution.

Official source: energyandpolicy.org ↗