By Brandon Moseley
Alabama Political Reporter
From 2010 until 2014 fellow Alabama Public Service Commission (PSC) commissioners Twinkle Andress Cavanaugh (R) and Terry Dunn (R) served on the PSC together and the pair of Republicans were frequently at loggerheads on how the PSC should conduct its business.
Commissioner Dunn wanted to hold formal hearings on utility rates. PSC President Cavanaugh preferred the less litigious process of informal hearings. Fellow Commissioner Jeremy Oden (R) sided with Cavanaugh on the three member PSC; but the argument was both heated and very public. In 2014, the feud concluded with former Green County Commissioner Chris “Chip” Beaker unseating Dunn in the 2014 Republican Primary. Cavanaugh’s supporters charged that Dunn had a cozy relationship with radical environmentalists and Dunn charged that the other commissioners were too influenced by the companies they regulate.
Now Dunn seeks to get back on the PSC and is seeking to unseat Cavanaugh as the PSC President.
In November the PSC announced that it was lowering the rates that Alabama Power and Alabama Gas customers pay due to falling natural gas prices.
President Cavanaugh stated, “While rates are going up in other states because of the Federal mandates handed down by the Obama Administration, our Commission has found a way to reduce rates for Alabama Power and Alabama Gas customers. We will continue to fight Obama and his out of control, job killing EPA. We will continue to use every measure available to fight Obama and keep rates as low as possible for Alabama families and businesses.”
President Obama’s administration and his radical environmentalist cronies continue to press for policies that will make it more difficult to deliver low cost natural gas and electricity to Alabama families and businesses. While today’s reductions are significant, the Obama administration’s policies continue to negate the savings realized by ratepayers and jeopardize the future of lower natural gas prices.
A skeptical Dunn alleged that the rate was overdue. Dunn charged in a statement, “Twinkle removed monthly report of Energy Cost Recovery months ago that has been available to the general public since the 1980’s in order to cover up her lies about the rate reduction. By doing this Twinkle was trying to hide the actual total fuel cost amount that was over collected from customers, which should have already been refunded back to customers, to set up her skim to deceive ratepayers.”
Dunn said, “True transparency of the Public Service Commission is a deterrent to any further rate increases and business continuing to be conducted under the radar of the public.”
The Republican Primary is on March 1.
