A movement to take power public

Electricity is essential for doing just about anything these days, but Americans’ bills just keep going up. The cost of electricity is up 6.9% year-over-year, far outpacing inflation. Part of the reason for that, writes James Baratta in The American Prospect, is that 70% of the utilities Americans rely on are investor-owned, meaning they have an obligation not just to the people they provide services to, but also to shareholders.

Some communities are pushing to buy out the privately-owned utilities and make them public.

“People have had enough,” Baratta said. “[They] want the money that they’re paying to have this essential service to be put back into that service so that it can be more affordable and more reliable.”

“Marketplace” host Kimberly Adams talked to Baratta about how publicly-owned power could make utilities more accountable to the people they serve.

To listen to their conversation, use the audio player above.