Energy companies jockeying for huge alternative energy contracts lavished money on lobbyists in 2009, the first legislative session year in a decade the sharply upward arc of overall spending on lobbyists in Texas flattened.

In a new report called Austin’s Oldest Profession, Texans for Public Justice, the Austin-based, left-of-center campaign finance watchdog, said spending was $344 million, down slightly from $348 million in the 2007 legislative year. The watchdog group, however, said spending by the biggest companies on contracts for the biggest lobbying firms was greater than ever.

Energy and natural resources was the biggest single category of lobby spending, up to $62 million worth or 18 percent of the total amount spent last year, according to the study. Of the 12 biggest lobbying spenders, seven of them were energy companies, four of which were not in the top 20 after the 2007 legislative year.

Not surprisingly, Energy Future Holdings Corp., which spent the second-most on lobbying services, $3.2 million, was the beneficiary of a $1.3 billion contract, the largest awarded last year by the Texas Public Utility Commission to build a wind power transmission system, according to the report. American Electric Power, which jumped from 27th to 6th in overall spending with $1.8 million, is part of a joint venture that landed the second biggest PUC contract.

Until the dip in 2009, the maximum value of lobbying contracts increased in successive legislative years, from $229.7 million in 2001, to $275.6 million in 2003, to $304.1 million in 2005.

Read the full report here.

Contact Mark Lisheron at 512-299-2318 or mark@texaswatchdog.org.