Renewables

“The drought is so dire that any and every measure must be considered to resuscitate the health of the Colorado River and its water supply. What is clear is that these companies can’t afford the luxury of waiting for the federal government to solve this.”

“One of the overriding themes was the critical need for education in addressing distressed water systems. Utilities, regulators, and local leaders must act as educators to bridge the gap between technical infrastructure needs and customer perception.”

“Most tap water systems are tested daily and often more frequently, using independent labs — not like bottled water, submitting to just an annual independent plant inspection. A lot can happen during the other 364 days of the year.”

“AI can enhance optimizing water treatment, monitoring system performance, and improving customer engagement. For instance, early warnings could be established to flag affordability challenges of high-risk customers, thereby spotting trends before they are shut off.”

As the NARUC community gathers this November, it’s clear that Washington offers more than scenic views. It offers a glimpse into what’s possible when legislative ambition, regulatory innovation, and utility leadership move in concert turning clean energy from aspiration into everyday reality.

Conversation on the role of geothermal as a round-the-clock renewable and heating/cooling solution.

“Clean capital efficiency, which is leveraging technology to drive higher efficiency and utilization of existing and new system assets, is a valuable part of the picture and an important way to help alleviate rate pressure.”

“While the nation has been focused on an energy crisis triggered by unprecedented new additional load being added to the electrical grid from data center demand, scarcely anyone is focused on the related competition for water.”

“When it comes to wetlands, interpreting the Rules of the Clean Water Act can be as clear as mud. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin emphasized, in his NARUC Summer Policy Summit fireside chat with NARUC President Tricia Pridemore, the need for clarification addressing Waters of the United States (WOTUS) and their definition.”

“Resilience planning means thinking ahead and contemplating as many unknowns as you can. As a utility regulator, you must consider thwarting opportunities and vulnerabilities that storms might give bad actors to infiltrate operating systems.”