"...we want overall demand to decline. It saves money, reduces pollution, and avoids the need for expensive infrastructure. But the way we’ve set up utilities,

"...we want overall demand to decline. It saves money, reduces pollution, and avoids the need for expensive infrastructure. But the way we’ve set up utilities, they must fight that trend. Every time they are forced to invest in energy efficiency...demand for their product declines, and with it their justification to make new investments." Isn't this true for any government activity? Government builds institutions around solving some problem. But since when does an institution want to sunset itself because the problem is solved.