Perspective

“If designed well, flexible interconnection policies can help bring down utility’s capital costs by optimizing use of existing grid infrastructure and deferring grid upgrades.”

“A big focus area for Itron is around data and analytics, the key drivers behind edge intelligence. We wanted to explore what roles AI and machine learning play now, and how utilities envision their impact.”

Mitigation Best Practices, Tracking and Verification, Education: “It is time for the electric industry to form WINPO – Wildfire Institute of Power Operations – with similar goals to INPO, an independent – and independently funded – organization that focuses purposely and solely on mitigation best practices, tracking and verification, and education of wildfire mitigation strategies.”

“Hands-on experiences include visits to energy research and production sites, where participants can learn directly from on-the-ground experts and operators.”

Conversations with Hawaii PUC Chair Leo Asuncion and the State’s Chief Energy Officer Mark Glick.

Electric rate inflation has come in at one tenth of a percent less than the CPI increase in the last two years. Of course, electric rate inflation two years earlier was a setback for American households. It was 14.3 percent, while the CPI increase was 6.5 percent.

“Timely, cost-effective deployment of new technologies to secure the grid and enhance resilience are also essential because disruptions can be hugely costly.”

Energy was generally more affordable for U.S. households in 2024 than anytime in recent memory, when averaged nationally. Of course, for individual households, energy affordability varies immensely.

Tables report where energy is least and most affordable in the United States. All but two states saw a decrease, and generally saw a substantial decrease, in the average residential share over the last quarter century.

Twenty percent of the nation’s 200 state utility Commissioners completed PUF’s three-question anonymous survey.