In 2018, a US energy company started a massive bribery scheme in hope of swaying policy in its favour. It made campaign donations to Republican politician Larry Householder in Ohio, who led the passage of a billion-dollar bail-out of two nuclear energy plants, and subsequently received around US$ 500,000 onto his private accounts. The company also paid millions to Householder’s co-conspirators and obstructed a referendum on the bail-out bill. As an operator of oil and nuclear plants, it was unable to compete with newer, cheaper forms of energy and wanted to secure a competitive advantage. The million-dollar corruption case underlined how undue influence can influence public policy and slow the energy transition.