Aren't most of these public utility companies like Southern California Electric publicly owned thru listed shares of stock? Investors typically buy such shares for a very steady dividend, a low risk thing to own because you know that business will continue and earn a regulated rate of return. It would be surprising for one owner, say Rothschild, to accumulate a very large percentage of one of those companies.
I am not saying they haven't, but it would be unusual.
They are strange companies though. Recall Enron's game-playing with California electricity prices. I believe some of those utility companies knew what was going on but did nothing about it, maybe management was even paid off.