Perspective

“EPRI, an independent, nonprofit energy research and development organization, owns and operates three world-class laboratories to evaluate new applications, technologies, and devices to conduct research across the energy spectrum, assisting stakeholders in addressing challenges and opportunities as part of the clean energy transition.”

“Utilities and regulators should pay closer attention to the reliability tool with the lowest barrier to entry, and the speediest implementation today: demand response.”

“The ability to communicate with diverse communities is critical for the success of programs aligned with state policy objectives, particularly those targeted at low-to-moderate-income customers.”

This article addresses tomorrow’s electric affordability. To evaluate the affordability of electric bills for residential customers, quantitatively, we must do a little math. The core idea here is to show the link between the investment necessary to advance the energy transformation and the effect on a household’s electric bills via the mechanisms of utility regulation.

Very fortunately, there are alternative tools available to electric utilities and utility regulation that are more focused on the economic plight of these households with greater potential to make a difference for them.

“Building on the momentum of COP28, we expect 2024 to be a year where businesses and governments continue to lean in on deploying clean energy technologies. In the U.S., we continue to support siting and permitting reform and the buildout of transmission to support the deployment of clean energy.”

“There are companies that are consistent and dedicated to reliability, and it shows. It comes out in the consistency of the improvement in their performance. That is what we’ve been talking about. You have to keep getting better.”

“Managed services, especially in back-office functions like finance, procurement, tax and cyber, can help utilities drive innovation and reshape spending to better manage through the energy transition.”

Moderated by POWER Engineers Chief Digital Officer Nathan Bingham, this panel featured National Grid Principal Analyst for Clean Energy Development Gideon Katsh, PXiSE CEO Tim Allen, Avista Utilities Director of Avista Innovation Lab John Gibson, and Landis+Gyr Director of Regulatory Affairs and Industry Relations Marguerite Behringer.

“State-level regulators across the country do not currently have a shared understanding of what they would need to do differently to ensure that disadvantaged communities have a meaningful opportunity to be heard in decision-making processes and help shape better outcomes.”