NARUC Professional Development (NPD) provides live online and pre-recorded training courses to regulators, commission staff, and stakeholders to increase their knowledge of regulatory issues and processes. The courses focus on the principles of regulation, as well the key skills required to participate in regulatory proceedings, including regulatory accounting and finance, cost-benefit analysis, and the fundamentals of utility law. The curriculum also includes emerging issues and policies in utility regulation, and introductions to new and emerging technologies and requirements affecting electricity, water, gas, and telecommunications. Courses range in length from 6 hours to 18 hours and are accessed remotely via Zoom. Students are encouraged to ask questions and propose new subjects and instructors to help the initiative grow and expand.
Registration for Live Online Courses ends at 5:00 PM ET on the day before the first class.
A Special Two-Day, 4-hour NARUC Professional Development Course
May 8, 2025, 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM ET
May 16, 2025, 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM ET
Introduction to the Role of the Utility Regulator will introduce students to the the basics of utility regulation, including the structure of state utility commissions, the types of energy companies they regulate, and the way in which utility rates are developed. Taught by Eric Christianson, Director of Training at the Western Energy Institute, and former Montana Commissioner and NARUC President, Bob Rowe, this course will provide students with an overview of the process of regulatory oversight oversee regulated companies and introduce key concepts in the regulatory process, including building the revenue requirement, cost allocation, rate design, and capital and O&M accounting. Introduction to the Role of the Utility Regulator is directed to regulators and stakeholders who want an overview of the utility regulation and ratemaking process.
This course will not be recorded.
Rates: NARUC Dues Paying Members: $175; Government, Consumer Advocates, Non-Profits: $300; All Others: $425
NARUC Professional Development
Track: Water, Accounting & Rate Design
June 3, 4, 5, 2025
The Foundations of Water Regulation is designed to de-mystify the economic regulation of water (and wastewater) utilities and better prepare those involved in regulation to address current and emerging water economic regulatory issues. This 3-day, 6-hour course will be led by the Honorable Jeff Hughes, former Chair of the NARUC Committee on Water and a Commissioner with the North Carolina Utilities Commission (NCUC). The course will cover key topics in water, including Economic economic regulation vs. environmental regulation, the basics of “traditional economic regulation/rate making,” the impact of emerging environmental and public health water topics such as PFAS and Lead Service Line replacements on economic regulation, alternative regulatory practices and approaches, such as multi-year rate making, decoupling, consolidation of small systems, Fair Market Value/Acquisition Adjustments, Customer Assistance Programs, and Performance Based Regulation.
Course participants will be expected to spend approximately 1 to 2 hours on pre-course research and assignments.
Foundations of Water Regulation (101) is part of the Professional Development Water track and the Accounting & Rate Design track. It will be helpful preparation for students considering attending the NARUC Rate School.
Fees:
NARUC Members: $250
International, Federal, State Agency / Consumer Advocate / Academia / Non-Profit: $450
All Others: $650
NARUC Professional Development
Track: Legal
June 10, 11, 12, 2 PM - 4 PM ET each day
This 3 day/6 hour live NARUC Professional Development course covers the essentials of being a witness in an administrative proceeding, including preparing written and oral testimony, taking the witness stand, and responding to both direct and cross-examination. Taught by experts from QSI consulting, Florida Commissioner Andrew Fay, and former ICC Commissioner Terry Harville, How to Be An Effective Witness 2025 is directed to those who prepare, deliver, or review testimony in state regulatory proceedings. The course reviews the institutional context of administrative agencies and the way in which they address their key goal--the promotion of the public interest--through witness testimony. The course provides guidelines for writing sound and persuasive testimony and insights to the way in which commissioners, judges, and other “finders of fact” review and evaluate testimony.
How to Be An Effective Witness 2025 is part of the NARUC Professional Development Legal Curriculum.
Fees:
NARUC Members: $250
International, Federal, State Agency / Consumer Advocate / Academia / Non-Profit: $450
All Others: $650
NARUC Professional Development
Track: Accounting & Rate Design
August 25, 26, 27, 2025
NARUC Professional Development Course providing an introduction to utility accounting and ratemaking. Taught by Bill Steele. This course is part of the Accounting and Ratemaking Track of Professional Development courses and is preparation for NARUC Rate School.
September 8, 9, 10, 2025
Introduction to the way in which rate cases are developed. Taught by Bill Steele, this course introduces students to the parts of a rate case and how to evaluate rate case inputs. This course is part of the Professional Development Accounting & Ratemaking track. It is a useful preparatory course for NARUC Rate School.
September 9 - November 25, 2025 7:00-8:30 PM ET
Scott Hempling's Fundamentals of Utility Law course covers key topics in utility law. Directed to both attorneys and non-attorneys, the course addresses topics such as How to distinguish "monopolies" from "monopolizers", how to distinguish anticompetitive conduct from unearned advantage, how to set rates without violating the U.S. Constitution, and the entire alphabet soup of ISOs, RTOs, IPPs, Transcos, CLECs, ILECs. Course registration includes a copy of Hempling's book, Regulating Public Utility Performance. This course is part of the NARUC Professional Development Legal Track.
On-demand courses must be pre-paid with a credit card. A “bill me option” is not available.
Purchase orders cannot be accepted. Each student must register separately. Group orders are not available. On-demand courses cannot be canceled or refunded.
Please email questions to npdsupport@naruc.org
If you cannot attend a class, you may substitute an individual from the same organization. The substitution must be made one week prior to the course. The substitute must have a profile in the system. Click this link to create a profile in MatrixMaxx => https://www.naruc.org/mynaruc/. For assistance, email npdsupport@naruc.org.
If you are unable to attend or secure a substitute from the same organization, a cancellation request must be submitted via email to Bunnary Tan at btan@naruc.org. A refund less a 20% processing fee will be provided if the cancellation is received no later than 7 business days prior to the start date of the course.
NARUC reserves the right to cancel or postpone courses in the unlikely event of insufficient enrollment or other unforeseen circumstances.
Please email questions to npdsupport@naruc.org