Wonder why your electric bill is so high? It may be funding massages and golf for utility execs

Utility customers sometimes foot the bill for lobbying, advertising, and luxurious living, according to a new report.

Power companies across the country have been quietly trying to charge their customers for millions of dollars worth of luxury expenses—including biweekly massages, access to exclusive country clubs, and private jet travel—according to a new report from the Energy and Policy Institute (EPI), a utility watchdog.

The regulated monopolies are only supposed to charge for expenses that directly benefit customers, such as upgrades to the electric grid or the salaries of employees. But a dysfunctional regulatory system allows gas and electric companies to charge not just luxury perks, but also nonessential lobbying and advertising costs into customers’ electric bills, the report found.