The fight for public control of power
In recent years, preventable wildfires, targeted power shutdowns, and exorbitant rate hikes have made it clear that the for-profit model of electric utility provision has failed communities across the United States. However, a growing movement is fighting to take back public control of these essential services.
Across the country, from California to New York to Chicago, activists, community groups, and elected officials are pushing to transform investor-owned utilities into publicly owned and operated services. They argue that public power can deliver cheaper, more reliable, and more sustainable electricity – putting the needs of residents before the profits of shareholders.
These campaigns are gaining substantial traction, with recent victories in Colorado, Maine, and Texas, and ongoing battles in states like New York and California. By linking the fight for public power to broader issues of economic, environmental, and racial justice, organizers are reframing the narrative around municipal ownership and winning over increasingly broad public support.
Lighting the way in California
In California, the devastation wrought by Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) has been a major driver of the push for public power. After decades of excessive executive compensation, infrastructure neglect leading to deadly wildfires, and dangerous power shutoffs affecting tens of thousands, Californians are demanding change.
Community groups like the Oakland-based Local Clean Energy Alliance (LCEA) have been at the forefront of this movement, joining with others in the “No PG&E Bailout!” coalition to pressure state leaders. The Democratic Socialists of America have also launched a “Let’s Own PG&E” campaign, while the LCEA’s Utility Justice Campaign has organized high-profile protests.
These grassroots efforts have been backed by elected officials, including State Senator Scott Weiner, who is advocating for legislation to put public ownership of PG&E on the table. San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo has led a coalition of over 100 California mayors in calling for the utility to be replaced with a customer-owned cooperative.
Even former PG&E executives have voiced support for the feasibility of a public takeover. With Governor Gavin Newsom criticizing the utility’s reorganization plan as inadequate, the momentum for transformative change appears to be building.
Fighting for public power in New York
In New York, Consolidated Edison (ConEd)’s decision to cut power to vulnerable communities during a dangerous heat wave in 2019 sparked outrage and renewed calls for public control.
Community groups like the New York Energy Democracy Alliance and the Democratic Socialists of America have been central to the Public Power campaign, building coalitions with city council members. Mayor Bill de Blasio has suggested a public takeover of ConEd, while Governor Andrew Cuomo has warned that the company’s monopoly could be eliminated.
Advocates are also pushing the state’s publicly owned utility, the New York Power Authority, to commit to 100% renewable energy and expand its territory to take over investor-owned utilities like ConEd.
The fight spreads to the Midwest
In the Midwest, municipalities are also fighting to gain control of their energy futures. In Chicago, 22 city aldermen have introduced legislation to investigate the feasibility of a public takeover of Commonwealth Edison (ComEd), the for-profit utility that exercises a virtual monopoly.
The aldermen, many of whom are members of the Democratic Socialists of America, cite ComEd’s role in a federal corruption investigation and its soaring profits at the expense of ratepayers. They view municipalization as a way to quickly decarbonize the city’s energy system and implement a more equitable rate structure.
Similar grassroots campaigns have emerged in Pueblo, Colorado and Decorah, Iowa, with varying degrees of success. In Pueblo, the “Bring Power Home 2020” coalition has pushed the city council to hold a referendum on ditching the current private utility, Black Hills Energy. In Decorah, a narrowly lost 2018 vote to establish a municipal utility highlighted the power of community organizing, even in the face of well-funded opposition from the incumbent provider.
Victories and setbacks across the country
Despite the challenges of taking on entrenched corporate interests, some communities have achieved notable victories. In Boulder, Colorado, a years-long struggle led by the Empower Our Future coalition culminated in a 2019 ruling that allowed the city to acquire some of the incumbent utility’s assets, a major step towards municipalization.
In Maine, lawmakers introduced bipartisan legislation in 2019 to enable the buyout of the state’s two major private utilities, citing high rates, poor customer service, and a reliance on non-renewable energy sources. Grassroots groups like CMP Ratepayers Unite have amplified these demands.
Even when municipal ownership efforts fall short, as in Minneapolis, communities can still make gains. In that case, the city was able to negotiate a new franchise agreement with its private utilities that required significant renewable energy commitments.
A global movement for energy democracy
The fight for public power is not unique to the United States. Across the world, communities are organizing to wrest control of their energy systems from private, profit-driven corporations. From the United Kingdom to Germany to India, citizens are demanding a just transition to renewable, democratically controlled utilities.
In the U.S., this movement is gaining momentum, powered by the recognition that the current system has failed to meet the needs of working families and marginalized communities. By linking the fight for public power to broader issues of economic, environmental, and racial justice, organizers are building broad-based support and winning concrete victories.
As the devastating impacts of climate change and corporate greed become more apparent, the demand for energy democracy only grows stronger. Communities are proving that when people come together, they can take back control of the power that shapes their lives.
Conclusion: A future of public power
The high rates, poor service, and environmental destruction wrought by investor-owned utilities have sparked a new wave of municipalization campaigns across the United States. From California to New York to the Midwest, community groups, elected officials, and grassroots organizers are fighting to transform these essential services into publicly owned and operated utilities.
By framing the fight for public power as part of the broader struggle for economic, environmental, and racial justice, these campaigns are winning over increasingly broad public support. While the path to victory is not always easy, communities are proving that when people come together, they can take back control of the power that shapes their lives.
As the climate crisis intensifies and the failures of the profit-driven model become ever more apparent, the demand for energy democracy will only continue to grow. The future of our power system is in the hands of the people – and they are ready to take charge.
