This opinion was published by the Reno Gazette Journal.
Nevadans are sick and tired of corporations prioritizing profits over people, leaving hardworking families to bear the burden of high costs. Case in point: When NV Energy recently tried to triple the Basic Service Charge (BSC) for single-family homes in Northern Nevada from $16.50 to $45.30, the monopoly utility was met with strong and swift opposition. NV Energy was trying to increase our bills in a way that could have severely impacted all customers regardless of energy usage, making it harder for Nevadans to justify investments in rooftop solar and disproportionately affect low-income households. Thankfully, the Public Utilities Commission of Nevada agreed with customers and rejected this bill hike, approving only a $2 increase, but the battle is far from over.
For the past two years, Nevadans have been struggling with soaring energy costs driven by prices for volatile out-of-state methane gas, or “natural gas,” which makes up more than half of the state’s electricity generation. This over-reliance on fossil fuels continues despite solar energy being cheaper, renewable and pollution-free. In response to these high costs, many Nevadans have taken steps to reduce their energy use, weatherize their homes and install rooftop solar with the help of tax credits from the Biden-Harris Clean Energy Plan.
Nevadans are sick and tired of corporations prioritizing profits over people, leaving hardworking families to bear the burden of high costs. Case in point: When NV Energy recently tried to triple the Basic Service Charge (BSC) for single-family homes in Northern Nevada from $16.50 to $45.30, the monopoly utility was met with strong and swift opposition. NV Energy was trying to increase our bills in a way that could have severely impacted all customers regardless of energy usage, making it harder for Nevadans to justify investments in rooftop solar and disproportionately affect low-income households. Thankfully, the Public Utilities Commission of Nevada agreed with customers and rejected this bill hike, approving only a $2 increase, but the battle is far from over.
For the past two years, Nevadans have been struggling with soaring energy costs driven by prices for volatile out-of-state methane gas, or “natural gas,” which makes up more than half of the state’s electricity generation. This over-reliance on fossil fuels continues despite solar energy being cheaper, renewable and pollution-free. In response to these high costs, many Nevadans have taken steps to reduce their energy use, weatherize their homes and install rooftop solar with the help of tax credits from the Biden-Harris Clean Energy Plan.
Meanwhile, Gov. Joe Lombardo has been conspicuously silent as Nevada families have suffered under skyrocketing utility bills, focusing instead on rolling back Nevada’s once-robust climate agenda and keeping the state hooked on fossil fuels. For example, Lombardo was the only governor elected or re-elected in 2022 who withdrew their state from the U.S. Climate Alliance, defying popular opinion in Nevada about the importance of fighting climate change. And the long-awaited climate plan he recently released contains little more than a ChatGPT-esque summary of various state agencies and general platitudes about Nevada’s environment.
Similarly, as Donald Trump promised Big Oil to roll back environmental protections in exchange for $1 billion to his campaign, Lombardo put his fossil fuel donors first with Southwest Gas leading his “transition team” — the same utility that sent Nevadans’ gas bills sky-high last winter — and issued executive orders favoring out-of-state methane gas over Nevada’s abundant renewable resources. When Lombardo does speak up, his energy rhetoric often echoes the talking points of NV Energy CEO Doug Cannon and Southwest Gas CEO Karen Haller, showing where his loyalties lie.
Nevada’s working families are up against corporate greed, and we are fed up. It’s time to hold Nevada’s monopoly utilities accountable for reckless decisions that raise our bills, undermine Nevada’s clean energy future and increase our dependence on expensive fossil fuel projects. If Governor Lombardo won’t stand up to these polluters and profiteers, we need to elect lawmakers who will. We deserve leaders who will hold greedy corporations accountable and fight for the economic well-being of all Nevadans — not just the wealthy few. Enough is enough.
Jarrett Clark is a longtime community organizer and climate advocate in Nevada.
