Email shows California regulator sought $1 million donation from state's biggest utility

California's largest utility has released emails saying the state's top utilities regulator encouraged the company to donate more than $1 million to an environmental initiative.

Pacific Gas & Electric Co. also says federal prosecutors have notified the company that they're investigating the legality of a series of communications between PG&E and the California Public Utilities Commission on rate increases and other matters.

An email from PGE&E executive Brian Cherry released Monday describes a 2010 dinner where he says utilities commission President Michael Peevey sought more than $1 million from PG&E to support a climate-change ballot initiative.

A commission official did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

PG&E says the executives involved in the emails have left the company.