A New Administration Sets a New Tone on Energy Transformation
Department of Energy
A conversation with the Department of Energy’s Acting Assistant Secretary Pat Hoffman.
Regulation & Policy
When Texas Seceded, Its Grid That Is
Judge Cudahy’s Second Alamo Article
PUF reviews Judge Richard Cudahy’s famous 1995 article on the so-called Midnight Connection that led to the disconnection of the Texas grid from the eastern and western grids. Even more relevant today given the ERCOT meltdown.
Uncertainty in Wake of Executive Order 13920 and Biden Administration
The Waiting Game
As President Biden begins his first few weeks in office, many within the power sector wonder how his administration will address key concerns related to securing the nation's bulk-power system.
The previous administration issued several executive orders relating to cybersecurity, including Executive Order 13920, a directive that was issued on May 1, 2020 to address security threats to the bulk-power system in the United States.
Should Governors or Voters Select Utility Commissioners?
An Evolving Answer
The governor has much discretion in appointing Commissioners that may not reflect the preference of the general population.
Gas Ban as Confiscation of Property
Reconsider Compensation Policy
The gas utility investor is put in a different position with electrification than under all prior stranded cost experience where the enterprise continues in business.
Affordable Utility Service
Advice to Regulators
One notion of fairness is the affordability of utility services to all households, including those living in poverty.
From Meter Reader to CEO
Career Reflections
Conversation with John Hargrove, retiring CEO of the Association of Energy Service Professionals
NARUC Annual Meeting's Panel on ESG
Environmental, Social and Governance issues
Jim Kerr outlines how investor-owned companies, and Southern Company specifically, are responding to ESG issues with transparency and real environmental, social, and governance progress.
Time to Put the Kibosh on Pancaking Section 206 ROE Complaints
FERC Must Act
This article critiques FERC's rationale for entertaining pancaked complaints; describes as background the FPA bias favoring existing rates; and explains, in light of Emera Maine insights, the inability of pancaked complaints against the same ROE to support either the establishment of new ROEs or the refund of revenues collected under past, superseded ROEs.
Why Renewables Are Worth More Than We Believe
Carbon, Cost, Change
Proponents on each side claim to be cheaper than the other side by excluding large externality costs.