Motherhood can make us do all sorts of things we never imagined doing. For Las Vegas mom Mary Wagner, this includes taking on a state government agency to protect her child. “My son is asthmatic, and I realized how decisions being made for us at the local, state, and federal levels affect our health,” says Mary, Moms’ Nevada Field Organizer.
When she learned just how many of these important decisions were made by the Public Utilities Commission of Nevada (PUCN), it was a big surprise—and an opportunity. “I didn’t know that utility accountability was part of environmental work. And then I realized that it all connects,” Mary says.
To be fair, Mary’s not alone. Most of us don’t know what a public utility commission (PUC) is, let alone how it operates and can impact communities. A PUC is simply a state government agency responsible for regulating essential services like electricity and gas. Each state has its own name for it, but they all share a mission to ensure that local utilities provide safe, reliable, and affordable service to customers. PUCs also help protect public health by directing utilities to prioritize cleaner renewable energy like solar, expand energy efficiency and weatherization programs, and avoid new polluting fossil fuel infrastructure.
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Considering the poor air quality in Las Vegas exacerbating her son’s asthma, not to mention her skyrocketing electricity bill, Mary grew concerned. Was the agency truly prioritizing health and affordability? “It almost seemed like the PUCN was more worried about protecting NV Energy’s [public utility] money than protecting the health and pockets of consumers. That was a big eye-opener,” she says.
When reports of NV Energy systemically overcharging customers surfaced in 2025, Mary and a coalition of neighbors and organizations, including Moms Clean Air Force and our Latino engagement program, EcoMadres, pushed for a PUCN investigation. It turned out that since 2002, the public utility had misclassified residents of multifamily homes as single-family customers, so more than 80,000 individual renters paid more, while others paid less. But getting justice for the renters wasn’t easy. The advocates had to go all the way to the state legislature and governor to get a utility accountability law enacted, guaranteeing fair reimbursements.
Life on a heat island
Like many people in the U.S., Mary and her neighbors live in what’s referred to as an urban “heat island,” an area with less tree canopy, more pavement, and higher population density that also tends to experience significantly higher temperatures than surrounding areas. Research shows that heat islands are also characterized by poor air quality. In Mary’s Las Vegas neighborhood, where the temperature already hit the 90s in March this year, air conditioning is not a luxury but a necessity. Given that climate change has made Las Vegas one of the fastest-warming cities in the U.S., the availability and affordability of air conditioning is only becoming more important.
Global warming coupled with soaring electricity bills means low-income people living in heat islands may have to make very tough budget-related choices. “Unfortunately, sometimes they have to make the decision to turn off the AC during the hottest times,” says Mary. “Or they cut back on food or purchase unhealthy food because it’s a little cheaper. Maybe they don’t take their medication.” This can increase health risks for everyone, especially children, seniors, and vulnerable community members.
A big win for utility customers
When NV Energy dragged its feet on correcting the widespread billing errors, Mary and the coalition organized to make sure the utility company was held accountable. Ultimately, they secured $63 million in refunds and interest to customers who overpaid. The CEO of NV Energy also resigned during the scandal.
“It took a lot of work for us to get there,” Mary says. “But we have a lot of community members who get involved, who do testimony, who are willing to do interviews and talk about their experiences, and we are working with our local and state officials to ensure that we are addressing issues in our state.” The coalition continues to fight against NV Energy’s controversial first-in-the-nation daily demand charge, which would charge customers based on their peak energy usage in any 15-minute window rather than their total energy consumed.
Why clean energy matters
Greening the power grid is also a key priority for Mary and the coalition. Moving to solar isn’t just good policy; it’s a public health necessity. Nevada gets sun almost year-round making adopting more solar an obvious move. But so far, the state utility has not embraced cleaner energy as a solution. This is where the PUCN can step in.
“We are requesting NV Energy to transition over to cleaner energy, because it affects our air quality,” Mary says. Las Vegas has received an F grade for both smog and soot pollution in the American Lung Association’s “State of the Air” report for the last several years.
Anyone in any state can get involved in pushing their local PUC to prioritize health, clean air, and customers over company profits. If you’re wondering how your state PUC is helping or harming local air quality, electricity bills, and so much more, Mary suggests getting to know the issues specific to your state. Talking to neighbors is another good first step. “Having conversations with your community that integrate the educational part and help them connect the dots is very important,” she says.
Learn more about public utility commissions in our new fact sheet: Soaring Energy Bills & Dirty Air: How to Hold Utilities Accountable.