Alabama Public Service Commission
Called "the PSC", the Alabama Public Service Commission is a three-member body, all elected statewide, which regulates private energy utilities, including Alabama Power Company, Alabama Gas Company (Alagasco), and Mobile Gas Service Corporation.
In 1972, Zeigler and his friends Tommy Chapman, Steve "Red" Wadlington, and Dennis Nabors, went to work for Kenneth "Bozo" Hammond in his campaign against PSC President Eugene "Bull" Connor. Hammond won, and Zeigler and friends learned how to run a campaign for PSC.
In 1973, Zeigler (age 23) filed a legal complaint before the PSC alleging that Alabama Power Company was earning excessive profits. He lost the case but generated state news coverage and highlighted the issue of rising electric bills.
In 1974, Zeigler (age 24) filed to run statewide against veteran PSC incumbent C.C. "Jack" Owen. Owen had been on the PSC since two years before Zeigler's birth. (Owen was first elected in 1946 and Zeigler was born in 1948.) The issue in the race was utility rate increases. Owen had voted in favor of most utility increase requests, and Zeigler vowed to oppose them. In a four-way race, Owen led the first primary but lost to Zeigler in the run-off. In January 1975 Zeigler took office as the youngest state elected official.
In 1975, Zeigler intervened before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to block the construction of two nuclear reactors planned for the Chilton-Elmore County line. He alleged that the Barton Nuclear Plant would have operated at the expense of Alabama consumers while generating electricity for other states. The application for approval of the reactors was then withdrawn.
In 1977, Zeigler forced re-financing of high-interest Alabama Power Company bonds at prevailing lower interest rates.
Zeigler served one term on the PSC and did not seek re-election in 1978.
Read more about this topic: Jim Zeigler
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