California Utilities Accused of Funding Fake Grassroots Coalition

The analysis indicates that 66% of the organizations listed under the coalition banner received over $7.3 million in financial support from major utilities between 2023 and 2025. By cross-referencing membership rosters with California Public Utilities Commission disclosure reports, researchers found that 142 of the 214 non-governmental groups in the coalition were direct recipients of utility grants, sponsorships, or charitable donations.

Carmen Balber, executive director of Consumer Watchdog, described the coalition as a "utility-funded echo chamber" rather than a genuine movement of survivors. The group has launched targeted digital advertising campaigns aimed at key state lawmakers, including Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas and various committee chairs overseeing wildfire and energy legislation. According to Balber, this effort seeks to lobby for policies that would shift the financial burden of future disasters away from utility shareholders, potentially reducing the incentive for companies to invest in critical safety infrastructure. Critics argue that eroding these accountability standards undermines community safety and places the long-term costs of utility-sparked fires on the public.