NASUCA
Steve Mitnick has authored four books on the economics, history, and people of the utilities industries. While in the consulting practice leadership of McKinsey & Co. and Marsh & McLennan, he advised utility leaders. He led a transmission development company and was a New York Governor’s chief energy advisor. Mitnick was an expert witness appearing before utility regulatory commissions of six states, D.C., FERC, and in Canada, and taught microeconomics, macroeconomics, and statistics at Georgetown University.
Innovation plus new infrastructure are necessary to achieve decarbonization goals in many states as set by legislatures, and where not set, often simply desired as the direction to go in by energy and utilities companies. But reaching those goals is expensive.
Public Utility Commission hearings often now involve parties wrangling over how to include these transition costs in rates. Enter the Consumer Advocates, charged with looking out for consumers at all times, but now with more to look out for. That means they are busier than ever.
Public Utilities Fortnightly caught up with some of these hardworking Consumer Advocates who, in their important roles across the country, are looking after the utilities' customers. Listen in as they discuss their advocacy work further complicated by the energy transition.
The roundtable includes NASUCA President Chris Ayers (North Carolina), Vice President Michael Moody (Michigan), Treasurer Tom Content (Wisconsin); the Executive Committee's Michele Beck (Utah), Bill Fine (Indiana), Nanette Edwards (South Carolina), Patrick Cicero (Pennsylvania), David Lapp (Maryland); and Executive Director David Springe.