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Energy Companies Give $500,000 in Political Donations

MPRN

(MPRN-Lansing) A watchdog group says utilities and other electric industry interests have $500 million so far this year on political donations to state legislators. 

The Legislature is in the middle of an overhaul of the state’s energy policies that will likely last for decades. Rich Robinson is with the Michigan Campaign Finance Network. He says energy companies – especially the state’s big, incumbent utilities – are spending big to get their voices heard.

“So this gives one piece of the sausage-making story as we go into the re-write of Michigan’s energy policy.”

One of the major controversies is whether to require more competition between utilities and alternative suppliers for business and residential customers.

A state House committee has just adopted an energy plan. It’s waiting for a vote on the House floor. The state Senate is still developing a proposal. Robinson says Senate Energy and Technology Committee Chairman Mike Nofs (R-Battle Creek) has received relatively few electric industry donations.

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