NV Energy Extraction

$65.4 million overcharged from 80,000+ customers over two decades. Multi-family housing residents were misclassified and charged single-family rates from 2002 to 2024. NV Energy initially tried to refund only $17 million covering six months — the legislature had to force full restitution with interest. Solar industry destroyed: In December 2015, NV Energy pushed through net metering changes that eliminated fair solar credits. SolarCity, Sunrun, and Vivint Solar shut down Nevada operations. 550+ jobs vanished overnight. Nevada went from a solar leader to a cautionary tale. $63 million spent to kill energy choice: In 2018, Berkshire Hathaway funded a $63 million "No on 3" campaign to defeat Question 3, which would have ended NV Energy's monopoly. 67% of voters rejected energy choice after the most expensive ballot measure campaign in state history. Nation's first residential demand charge: Starting January 2027, your bill will be based on your single highest 15-minute usage window each day. Run the AC and the dryer at the same time? That moment sets your rate. NV Energy estimates $20/month average — but families with AC + EV/pool/dryer face $40-60+ in summer. The Attorney General says it violates state law. It's been delayed twice. Nobody wants it except NV Energy. Third consecutive year of rate hikes: The 2025 request sought $216 million — double the prior year. The PUC approved ~$119 million on top of the demand charge. Greenlink West cost explosion: This $4.2 billion transmission line has doubled from its original $2.5 billion estimate. Ratepayers are footing the bill through a $4/month surcharge, while environmental groups and the Department of Defense have raised serious concerns. Data centers threatening clean energy goals: NV Energy needs 47% more energy than it forecast just two years ago. Projected 53% increase in greenhouse emissions — 3.2 million additional tons. Nevada is now likely to miss its 2030 renewable energy mandate. All profits flow out of state to Berkshire Hathaway headquarters in Omaha, Nebraska.

Kill the demand charge — the AG says it's illegal, courts are hearing challenges, and a state lawmaker plans legislation to block it. This first-in-the-nation experiment should be cancelled, not just delayed. Full accountability for the $65.4 million overcharge — complete refunds with interest to all affected customers, plus an independent audit of current billing practices to prevent future "errors." Restore fair net metering — return to policies that incentivize rooftop solar rather than punish it. Repeal the 15-minute netting interval that devalues distributed generation. Energy choice legislation — reintroduce the ability for Nevadans to choose their electricity provider. Break NV Energy's state-granted monopoly. Data center cost accountability — large commercial consumers like data centers must pay their own infrastructure costs. Residential ratepayers should not subsidize Big Tech's energy appetite. Independent rate case oversight — an empowered public advocate with real legal resources to counter NV Energy's teams of lawyers and lobbyists in PUC proceedings. Transparent accounting of Greenlink West — independent cost audits, competitive bidding verification, and clear allocation of costs between ratepayer classes.

No demand charge — families pay for what they use, not for their worst 15 minutes. Simple, predictable billing that doesn't punish people for living their lives. A competitive energy market where Nevadans can choose their provider — lower rates through competition, not monopoly pricing. Thriving rooftop solar industry — fair compensation for distributed generation, reduced grid dependence, and local clean energy jobs restored. Affordable electricity for all Nevadans — rates that reflect actual service costs, not monopoly profit extraction. No regressive charges targeting working families. Data center operators pay their fair share — infrastructure costs allocated proportionally to the customers driving demand, not socialized across all ratepayers. Locally accountable utility governance — meaningful public participation in rate cases, transparent profit reporting, and a consumer advocate with real power. Berkshire Hathaway's extraction model replaced with one that serves Nevada communities first.

Berkshire Hathaway's financial power: $63 million spent on a single ballot measure demonstrates the resources available to protect the monopoly. NV Energy and its parent are among Nevada's largest political donors, funding campaigns on both sides of the aisle. State-granted monopoly with guaranteed profit: NV Energy's regulated return on equity (9.5%, with a request to increase to 10.25%) means guaranteed profits regardless of performance or customer satisfaction. Regulatory dynamics: The PUC approved a first-in-the-nation residential demand charge that the Attorney General and legal experts say violates state law. The AG is suing the PUC over its own rate decision. Despite this, the charge remains scheduled for January 2027 — delayed twice but not cancelled. Complex, opaque proceedings: Rate cases involve thousands of pages of technical filings. Meaningful public participation is procedurally difficult and practically futile against NV Energy's legal teams and expert witnesses. Even when the public overwhelmingly opposes a charge at hearings, the PUC approves it anyway. Data center alignment: Tech companies seeking cheap Nevada power align with NV Energy's desire for massive infrastructure expansion — costs shared by all ratepayers while benefits flow to corporations. Demand charge precedent: Once established for residential customers, the charge can be increased and expanded in future rate cases. NV Energy is fighting hard to keep it because it creates a new, permanent revenue extraction mechanism. No organized consumer coalition: Individual ratepayers have no vehicle for collective action against a utility with $5+ billion in revenue.