California decouples utility profits from demand/quantity supplied, and has done so since about 1980. If they didn't, then as you point out, the utilities woul

California decouples utility profits from demand/quantity supplied, and has done so since about 1980. If they didn't, then as you point out, the utilities would be trying to get people to consume more. Here is a two page CPUC brochure (PDF) about it: http://www.fishnick.com/pge/Decoupling_Explained.pdf http://www.fishnick.com/pge/Decoupling_Explained.pdf