Why Is This Happening? The Chris Hayes Podcast

The Invisible Power Struggle with Leah Stokes

Episode Summary

Whether it’s refrigerating your food or turning on the lights or connecting to the Internet, having access to power is what makes modern society possible. And yet, you likely have no choice in which company you get your power from. Whether the service is bad or they lobby against your own policy interests, it doesn’t matter – if you want power, you give them your money. It’s a sweet deal for those companies and, as Leah Stokes recounts in captivating detail, they’ll go to extreme lengths to ensure you remain a captive customer. So, who are these utility companies, how do they work, and what are they doing with your money? And oh, by the way, what will it take to reorganize this sector to transition to clean energy so we can continue to have a habitable planet? Lucky for us, Leah Stokes is an expert in all the above and answers all the questions you never thought to ask but absolutely need to know. RELATED READING: Short Circuiting Policy by Leah Stokes

Episode Notes

Whether it’s refrigerating your food or turning on the lights or connecting to the Internet, having access to power is what makes modern society possible. And yet, you likely have no choice in which company you get your power from. Whether the service is bad or they lobby against your own policy interests, it doesn’t matter – if you want power, you give them your money. It’s a sweet deal for those companies and, as Leah Stokes recounts in captivating detail, they’ll go to extreme lengths to ensure you remain a captive customer. So, who are these utility companies, how do they work, and what are they doing with your money? And oh, by the way, what will it take to reorganize this sector to transition to clean energy so we can continue to have a habitable planet? Lucky for us, Leah Stokes is an expert in all the above and answers all the questions you never thought to ask but absolutely need to know.

RELATED READING:

Short Circuiting Policy by Leah Stokes