> My tinfoil hat [...] the relationship between energy providers and law makers
My local establishment's energy czar is also on the board of the electric company (itself a natural monopoly of course).
No tinfoil hat required. They have re-elected her several times as well.
>itself a natural monopoly
With widespread solar and batteries, energy is becoming less and less of a "natural monopoly", the state should stop granting legal monopolies to energy companies under the outdated assumption that it's more efficient.