(New Commissioners Only)

Electric Vehicles: Lessons Learned from Abroad

Countries worldwide have invested in expanding transportation electrification for several years. Join this panel to hear lessons learned from around the globe on electric vehicle infrastructure rollout, managed and bidirectional charging, and customer-centered programs for advancing electric transportation. What can we, in the U.S., learn from organizations and companies moving from pilot-to-scale on transportation electrification programs in Europe and Asia? 

• Moderator: Hon. Daniel C. Scripps, Michigan Public Service Commission
• Jacqueline Piero, U.S. Head of Policy and Regulation, The Mobility House
• Gerard Westhoff, Senior Associate Carbon-Free Transportation, RMI

Equity in Action: Utility Procurement Practices

Business Meeting

As utilities modernize infrastructure and adopt new technologies to build a clean energy future, how can we ensure equity plays a role in procurement practices? This panel will explore how utilities can implement inclusive strategies that create opportunities for small and minority-owned businesses and drive innovation across the supply chain. Panelists will discuss the unique challenges and opportunities in the utilities sector, including navigating regulatory requirements, fostering supplier partnerships, and leveraging technology to establish transparent, equitable procurement processes. Join us to learn how equitable sourcing strengthens both community relationships and business resilience in an increasingly competitive energy market.

1- Vote and discussion on resolutions

• Resolution on Supporting the Submission of Comment by NARUC relating to the Energy Information Administration’s Proposed Form EIA-112
• Resolution on Urging Clarification of Utility Recovery Bond Classification by the SEC to Lower the Cost to Electricity Customers

2- Presentations by speakers on equity in utility procurement practices and Q&A

• Jose Perez, President & CEO, Hispanics in Energy
• Scott Alan Davis, VP of Inclusion and Economic Development, SEEL, LLC
• Carmen Holmes, Director of Supplier Diversity and Sustainability, Duke Energy

Business Meeting

Meet and Greet with Hon. Judy Chang, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

A Minute For Your Thoughts?, With Hon. Jehmal Hudson and Hon. Jeff Hughes

Are electric companies and water companies so different that they can’t learn from each other’s best practices? Commissioners from the Water Committee will join the ERE Committee’s business meeting for a lively discussion on how to use the planning, policies, and lessons learned from regulating their respective commodity to better operate the other. Each commissioner will have two to three minutes to provide their rapid-fire thoughts on these questions:

• How can the Commission coordinate and leverage utility-run low-income programs, low-income discount rates, and the revenue sources for those rates for water consumption and for energy use?
• What can Commissions do to enable water/wastewater treatment facilities to become more efficient energy customers? Do they need innovative rate structures, demand response programs, and/or DER?
• How can grid hardening policies and natural disaster planning for the electric grid be adapted to protect water/wastewater treatment facilities from the increasing impacts of climate change, such as flooding and droughts, that limit their ability to provide safe, affordable, and reliable water service?

Center for Partnerships & Innovation Update 

USF Reform: Be a Designer for a Day

The FCC, Congress, and the courts have all weighed in on ways to reform the Universal Service Fund, apparently with no solution. This panel of key stakeholders will be afforded the title of “Designer for a Day” to craft a “perfect” Universal Service Fund keeping in mind the limitations of taxpayers and fee payers! Join us to see if your thoughts make it into their design or what new concepts are floated for consideration.

Remarks from Clair Moeller, President and COO, MISO

Clair Moeller will comment on gas-electric coordination, the need for new baseload and peaking generation in the MISO footprint, the role of natural gas in the changing grid, and reflections from his 20+ years with MISO as he retires at the end of this year. Time will be available for Q&A.

Discussion and vote on resolutions, other committee business

Remarks on Denmark’s Energy Landscape from a State Regulatory Perspective

In June and September 2024, several utility commissioners joined other U.S. stakeholders in separate week-long trips to Denmark, supported by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE), to meet with regulators, industry, vendors, and technical experts. Industry in Denmark has achieved a 47% reduction in energy intensity in the past fifty years. The Danish experience is instructive to understand where and how various energy resources are being used most effectively, and how Denmark is achieving its energy security and environmental goals while maintaining a robust economy which includes the manufacturing and agriculture industries. Commissioner Karen Kemerait, North Carolina and Commissioner Hwikwon Ham, Minnesota, will share takeaways from their experience abroad and lessons for U.S. regulators.

Business Meeting​

1. Will McNamara update on CESA Energy Storage Regulatory Working Group ​
2. FERC Commissioner David Rosner Comments and Q&A with commissioners​
3. NARUC update on permitting 
4. Discussion and vote on resolution

Buckle Up! It takes more than fairy dust, the wave of a magic wand, or wishing on a star to maintain, monitor, and invest in improvements to water and wastewater systems. Hop aboard and feel the thrill of what it’s like to run a water utility in 2024!

Nearby Disneyland is home to many water-based attractions that require high standards of water utility management — not something that magically happens. It takes more than the waving of a wand to ensure the safety of guests and staff, maintain the resilience of the water systems, move forward with infrastructure investment for maintenance and innovation, and the water quality upkeep — all are some of the key topics that Disneyland, as well as the water utility industry, need to address and optimize. Effective water utility management for the benefit of customers and communities in the U.S. is a complex and challenging task that involves funding, engineering, environmental awareness, operational efficiency, and dedicated teams of experienced experts — think of them as our real-life Imagineers! Achieving more than what a simple wish upon a star could offer requires collaborative industry efforts coupled with education, advocacy, and communication to confront and solve prevalent challenges within the water utility field.

Part 1: Matterhorn Bobsled

Anticipating and navigating the twists and turns of the ever-changing regulatory and legislative landscape and incentives in the midst of a presidential election. Panelists will share their advice on how to survive this nail-biting ride. This is not your mama’s rollercoaster!

Part 2: Splash Mountain

Panelists will discuss how to support the availability of safe, clean, and reliable water service in the midst of weather events and increasing demand. Please keep your safety harness tight and your arms and legs in the car at all times. This is definitely a stormy ride!

Part 3: It’s a Small World

Water sanitation needs to be ensured and enhanced for populations served. We will hear from wastewater leadership across the country on how to achieve these goals during this slow boat ride through clean water.

Part 4: Grizzley Run River

The EPA’s decision on PFAS and lead and copper places all water providers in the same boat to navigate these uncharted waters. Let’s break down how we meet these new rules and address the billions of dollars it will cost to clean them up. Collaboration on managing through the rise in finding as we descend to cleaner water — a wild ride through a California River!

Staff Working Meeting. Specifics to be discussed on-site.

We will kick off the NARUC 2024 Annual Meeting and Education Conference with

• Recognition of Veterans Day
• Remarks from The Hon. Julie Fedorchak, NARUC President
• 2024 - 2025 NARUC Officer Elections
• A Special Member Appreciation 
• In Memoriam 
• Terry Barnich Award
• Recognition of NARUC Executive Director Greg White! 

Natural Gas: Energy Demand and Emission Challenges Leading Up to 2030 and Beyond

This panel will feature CEOs from the natural gas production, transmission, and distribution sectors. They will detail the challenges they face and their plans for overcoming them through working with the regulatory body to continue lowering emissions, while maintaining production levels, safety, reliability, and affordability. 

(Invitees Only)

(Invitees Only)

(Invitees Only)

(Invitees Only)

(Invitees Only)

(BOD Members Only)

Gaining Headroom on the Grid: Leveraging the Demand Side to Accommodate New Loads Now

Recent analysis of electricity demand forecasts shows significant load growth due to new advanced manufacturing and data center facilities. EIA estimates that retail sales of electricity to industrial customers will grow by about 3% in 2024, and an additional 4% in 2025. Grid operators, utility regulators, and customers are increasingly concerned about this new, rapid load growth, particularly during a period of supply chain shortages, and are looking for approaches to mitigate its impact. What can be accommodated with existing electricity infrastructure? On the one hand, some companies building or growing their facilities are working in new ways to integrate their loads responsibly. On the other hand, combinations of demand-side resources can offer headroom in the system and provide space for accommodating new loads in the near-term. Panelists will provide real-world examples of proactively engaging with utilities and regulators to accelerate large load interconnection timelines and use demand-side resources to reduce energy waste, lower peak demand, and make room for new loads to grow.

Strategies and Solutions for Cracking the Challenge of Efficiency in Multi-Tenanted Buildings

Americans living in multi-tenanted buildings could save billions of dollars on their utility bills through electric and gas efficiency and water saving measures, but there are unique challenges in the multifamily housing sector that can make it difficult for tenants to realize these savings. Where tenants pay the utility bills, landlords have little incentive to make these investments, and even where they are allowed, tenants are unlikely to incur substantial capital costs to upgrade property they do not own. On top of this, structural issues like a leaky roof or mold in the property may create an upfront barrier to access or benefit from these programs and technologies. How can utilities and regulators overcome these barriers and incentivize energy and water efficiency measures in multifamily properties? Which measures are best suited for multifamily properties? How can regulators support these investments?  

Think Water and Electricity Don't Mix? Think Again! Microgrids in the Water Sector

Ever wonder how your water service continues even when the power is out? In the past, diesel generators have been the answer. But in the future, a cleaner and cheaper way for water utilities to maintain reliable service may be microgrids and battery storage. The California Water Association (CWA) has partnered with the U.S. Department of Energy and Generac to pilot a program where microgrids and battery storage will not only provide reliability advantages during storms and emergencies but could also reduce the utilities’ energy costs during regular operating times, providing affordability benefits. Come hear these “electrifying” speakers “wet” your appetite for this innovative new approach to reliability.

The Emerging Hydrogen Economy and How it Interacts with Public Utilities

In a decarbonized world, gas and electric utilities are having to adapt to new operational norms, emerging challenges, and opportunities. Transportation is facing new fueling paradigms. Steel decarbonization is made possible by hydrogen. Enter hydrogen, the simplest element. Colorless, odorless, nontoxic and high in energy, it is considered, “pure energy.” Due to its simplicity and versatility, it has the potential to decarbonize many sectors of the economy such as steel, fertilizer, industrial heat, and transportation fuel. There are several unique features of hydrogen that need to be understood and demonstrated to achieve commercial scale for the energy sector. Utilities can play a pivotal role in advancing the hydrogen market, helping to accelerate the transition to a lower-carbon economy. Come join the conversation.

More Questions than Answers: Controlling Gas Risk in an Era of Surging Load Growth

After nearly two decades of flat load growth, electricity demand is widely expected to accelerate over the coming years due to both policy and economic drivers. The emergence of data centers to support artificial intelligence, the re-shoring of manufacturing, and the continuing electrification of residential and commercial buildings and transportation has led to a surge in forecasted load growth by grid operators and utilities.

Meeting this growing demand requires careful planning, coordination, and innovation among policymakers, grid operators, utilities, regulators, developers, investors, and consumers. It also requires a holistic and systemic view of the electricity system, considering not only the existing generation mix and emerging technologies, but also transmission planning and development as well as consideration of the abilities of the local distribution network.

Presenters will discuss the following questions:

What is the role of new natural gas resources in an era of surging load growth? Can regulators find a balance between new natural gas and carbon free energy sources, based on the specific characteristics and needs of each region, market, and customer? How can regulators ensure customers are protected from market volatility? What tools can regulators use to avoid overinvesting in resources that are inconsistent with long-term state policy goals? What are the implications for gas-electric market interfaces?

How Much is That Number in the Window?

The FCC has delegated oversight of telephone numbering issues in their jurisdictions to state commissions They have used this delegated authority to assist in number conservation efforts to preserve area codes (NPAs), to monitor whether service providers comply with numbering rules, and to work to reduce illegal robocalling to protect their residents. In the course of these efforts, state commissions have discovered numbering practices that may be in conflict with the rules established by the FCC, including the sale of numbers with prices of thousands of dollars. This panel will explore the potential misuse of numbers and the ways in which state commissions can monitor and halt these actions to preserve the North American Numbering Plan (NAMPA).

Good Vibrations or Grid Disruptions: AI’s Tune in Homeland Security and Energy Policy

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a powerful tool that can be used by innovators and engineers as well as by foreign adversaries and criminals to carry out cyber-attacks on critical infrastructure. This panel will discuss the current landscape regarding the differing approaches to cybersecurity in each sector, how each sector is regulated, and what the future holds for AI as both a defensive and offensive tool. We will also ask the panelists to foreshadow what they think cybersecurity regulation may look like when AI is folded in – will the agencies develop new regulations that utilities have to comply with regarding AI? Will the agencies fold AI requirements into the cyber minimums?

Plugging In: How Large Customers Have Entered the Chat on Energy Planning

Transparent electricity system planning is critical to fostering customer trust, building confidence in utility and regulatory processes, and maintaining affordability and reliability as the system expands. Commissions want to ensure that processes and outcomes are fair, just, and reasonable while ensuring they meet customer needs. As more organizations have made public commitments to meet environmental or societal goals, as fleets and manufacturers electrify and data centers proliferate, commercial companies and the federal government represent very large customers with clear but complex priorities for their electricity supply. What role do C&I customers have in supporting the impacts of their growth and coupled clean energy demands? Does planning need to incorporate the 24/7 clean energy ambition – or differing clean energy requirements? How does embedding these goals in planning interact with a state’s existing goals or policies?

Attendees will hear what large, multi-state customers have learned and would like to see when engaging in commission/utility planning frameworks like Integrated Resource Plans (IRP) and Integrated System Plans (ISP) and how utilities are balancing large customer interests.

Talk Data To Me

Customer energy use data (CEUD) access is critical for realizing the real-time benefits of distributed energy resources and for maximizing the reach of energy efficiency programs, including those funded under the Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Data is also more important for grid operations than ever before. Customer usage data, distribution system data, rate and tariff data, and program participation data are all proliferating thanks to technology advancement, and the emerging prevalence of grid sensors, advanced software solutions, and grid edge capabilities raise additional opportunities for customers along with questions for regulators. In this session, panelists will address the following: What kinds of data are available today, and what does productive data-sharing look like for each type? What are the perceived risks and challenges associated with data access, and how can we address those challenges? What are some recent examples of successful public-private-utility collaboration around data sharing? How can we use real-time data to better manage the grid and what other benefits can this data provide to the customer as we plan grid updates and developments?

Clean, Firm Power: Exploring Technology and Policy Pathways to Meet our Nation's Energy Needs

As electricity demand swells and climate targets grow nearer, the utility sector is being relied upon to produce more reliable power with lower greenhouse gas emission profiles – that is, firm and clean power. Thus, the question becomes what types of new resources are needed and how much? This panel will review the technology and policy pathways capable of achieving a firm and clean power supply. This panel will explore questions such as:

-What mix of generation options will ensure a reliable, round-the-clock 24-7 (firm) low or no-emissions power supply that protects and respects communities (clean)?

-What policies will create a pathway that allows these technologies and approaches to take hold? And,

-What other pieces need to fall into place and/or what obstacles need to be addressed?

NARUC 2024 – 2025 President Remarks

& 

Hot Stuff: Navigating Financial Risks of Wildfires Without Getting Burned

Come hear remarks from the NARUC 2024-2025 Incoming President! 

The conversation will continue with session about how wildfires pose a growing nationwide risk to communities, utilities and consumers, with escalating financial impacts and affordability concerns. The challenges for utilities of operating safely in a changed environment and the significant financial implications of civil liability lawsuits are reverberating through utility bills. This panel discussion will explore the multifaceted financial risks associated with the increase in high consequence wildfires. Experts will delve into innovative strategies for balancing the financial responsibilities of utilities with the need to maintain consumer affordability. By examining current policies, consensus approaches for addressing wildfire risk, and considering future solutions, this interactive dialogue aims to identify actionable strategies addressing the increasing risk of catastrophic fires and their impacts on both utilities and consumers.

Burning Questions: How Can State Commissions and Utilities Manage Wildfire Woes (Workshop)

In this workshop attendees will learn about the themes and takeaways from the Regulators Roundtable sessions on the impacts of wildfire, specifically liability, reliability and affordability impacts, and participate as we begin work developing a regulators’ workbook related to wildfires.

No additional fee but separate registration required.

Federal - State Current Issues Collaborative

The overaching topic for the collaborative is gas-electric coordination.

With Guest Speaker:  First Vice President Tricia Pridemore (Georgia) Chair of the NARUC Taskforce on Gas-Electric Alignment for Reliability

FERC Members include:  

Chairman Willie Phillips

Commissioner Mark Christie

Commissioner David Rosner

Commissioner Lindsay S. See

Commissioner Judy W. Chang

NARUC Members include:

• MACRUC:  Mid-Atlantic Conference of Regulatory Utilities Commissioners
• Vice Chair Kimberly M. Barrow, Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission
• Commissioner Dennis P. Deters, Ohio Public Utilities Commission
• MARC:  Mid-America Regulatory Conference
• Chairman Jim Huston, Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission
• Commissioner Katherine Peretick, Michigan Public Service Commission
• NECPUC:  New England Conference of Public Utilities Commissioners
• Chairman Philip L. Bartlett, II, Maine Public Service Commission
• Commissioner Pradip Chattopadhyay, New Hampshire Public Utilities Commission
• SEARUC:  Southeastern Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners
• Commissioner Kimberly W. Duffley, North Carolina Utilities
• Commissioner Art Graham, Florida Public Service Commission
• WESTERN:  Western Conference of Public Service Commissioners
• President Eric Anderson, Idaho Public Utilities Commission
• Chair Patrick O’Connell, New Mexico Public Regulation Commission

Ethics, Artificial Intelligence and Regulation

As artificial intelligence (AI) technology rapidly evolves, it presents complex legal and ethical challenges that demand a thorough understanding by legal professionals. This Continuing Legal Education (CLE) course offers an in-depth exploration of the intersection between AI, ethics, and regulatory frameworks. Attendees will gain insights into the ethical considerations of deploying AI systems, including issues of bias, transparency, and accountability. The course will also cover current and emerging regulations governing AI, including data privacy laws, and global regulatory trends. Through case studies and practical scenarios, participants will learn to navigate the legal landscape surrounding AI technologies and develop strategies to ensure compliance and ethical integrity in their practice. This CLE session aims to equip legal professionals with the knowledge and tools necessary to address the challenges and opportunities presented by AI in an increasingly complex regulatory environment.

CLE credits will be available for this session. 

More than Just Stealing Copper

As federal and state policymakers, including utility commissions, continue to promote greater consumer access to expanding communications infrastructure, service providers face the daily challenge of protecting these modern networks from increasing incidents of intentional theft or vandalism. Harm to these critical facilities disrupts vital service to communities and businesses, puts public safety at risk, and diverts limited resources to repairing service instead of upgrading or expanding service. This panel will discuss the growth in network theft and vandalism, quantify its reach and impact, highlight why it is more than just a property crime against the provider’s network, and underscore how policymakers, including utility commissions, can help respond to these threats.

NARUC members are invited to learn more and experience how utilityscale battery energy storage systems (BESS) support the grid and the integration of renewables. Participants will see real data about the role battery storage has played in California’s renewable energy-heavy grid in recent years, meet with a BESS utility operator and CAISO, and tour the AES Alamitos BESS site. NARUC will provide transportation to and from the hotel.

Participation is open to all commissioners and commission staff.

Register in advance

NARUC thanks the U.S. Department of Energy – Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy and American Clean Power for support with this event.

Ensuring Cost Effective Transmission to Support Affordable State Electricity Policies

The challenge of maintaining affordable electricity rates for retail customers during a quickly changing electric power industry is formidable. Given that the cost of transmission has been increasing quickly as the industry transforms, this panel brings together state regulators, grid operators, and customer representatives to discuss the importance of proactive transmission planning and transmission cost controls and how they can be used to ensure a more cost-effective energy transition.

Amping Up the Debate: Behind the Meter or Front and Center?

As demand for artificial intelligence continues to grow, so too has the need for the large-scale data centers that power AI. These data centers require massive amounts of power and operate around the clock, which will also have significant impacts on system reliability and customer costs. As data center owners begin planning for future construction, some are opting to locate behind the generator meter, an arrangement referred to as colocation. Regardless of how policymakers and grid operators opt to proceed with these challenges, all stakeholders agree that this transformational development must be done in a manner that ensures a reliable electric system.

This panel will explore the benefits and disadvantages of front of the meter versus behind the meter arrangements; analyze differences in RTO versus non-RTO states; and consider how regional location may affect costs and decision-making.

Load Flexibility in Gas and Dual-Fuel Systems

As gas utilities seek to maintain reliability and affordability while evolving to meet new challenges, the use of innovative demand-side technologies is crucial to meet customers’ energy needs while lowering emissions. This panel will examine two burgeoning pathways. First, hybrid dual fuel heating systems provide heating while using both the electric and natural gas systems, thus assisting in reliability and system resilience during periods of significant energy demand. Second, gas load flexibility will become an increasingly essential non-pipeline alternative as gas utilities navigate both physical and political constraints on growth. This session will explore approaches that could support the scaling of these technologies while unlocking unique benefits to gas and electric customers. It will also review the differing incentives and challenges facing technology deployment in the gas and electric sectors and give an overview of recent pilot projects from diverse service territories across the nation.

Peering Into the Crystal Ball: Load Forecasting for the Future

The foundation of electricity system planning is forecasting loads. With increasing electrification, distributed energy resources, and large loads, planners face a whole host of short- and long-term uncertainty and questions. This is mainly due to questions about the pace, time, and location of load growth and the advent of large data centers or medium and heavy-duty fleets that require more locationally and temporally granular utility resource planning. It is becoming crucial to understand not only how customers are impacted, but also which customers are affected. This session will describe best practices in distribution system load forecasting that can enhance decision-making.

This panel aims to achieve the following goals:

• Equip attendees with practical, real-world analytical techniques, tools, and examples of load forecasting that answer questions and reduce uncertainty.
• Provide an understanding of the kinds of locational and temporal granularity available in modern load forecasting and the benefits of specificity.
• Cover emerging load forecasting practices that can lead to better risk management, investment decisions, and future cost allocation.

This is Workforce Development Jeopardy!

Watch panelists compete to answer questions about how we get more skilled employees in the utility sector.  We all know that utilities offer great jobs, but what are innovative ideas for attracting new employees and managing the silver tsunami that has hit the industry?  Each panelist will have the opportunity to showcase their knowledge by picking a category and competing to earn various amounts of money if they can answer the questions correctly. We have confidence in these panelists because they have experience, as the recipients of a $5 million grant from the State of California to implement a statewide workforce development program focused on diversity, equity and inclusion that will result in trained workers who will secure jobs in the utility industry throughout the State. This will help all utility industries, including the electric industry, have sufficient staff to respond to wildfires and various climate threats. 

Building Things is Hard but Doable: Lessons Learned from Infrastructure Development Projects

Meeting the expected increased energy demand and changes in energy resources over the next decades will require a huge amount of building: new power plants, power lines, pipelines, charging stations, substations, and other infrastructure. Building things is hard, but doable! This session will convene experts of large utility infrastructure projects to share what works and doesn't as we meet our future utility infrastructure needs.

Many states are witnessing unprecedented projections of growth in demand from data centers, electrification, and new manufacturing. But answers to questions of how much, when, and where – and the impacts of that uncertainty on electricity customers – are still emerging. Join this interactive workshop to explore key drivers of load growth and the opportunities and risks they create to electricity affordability, reliability, and state policy goals for economic development, greenhouse gas emissions, and equity. Participants will explore options to expand demand-side, supply-side, and grid resources to meet emerging needs, and how changes in planning processes can help unlock and accelerate deployment of valuable, near-term solutions.

The workshop will take place on-site immediately following programming for NARUC's Annual Meeting and Education Conference in Anaheim, California. SEPARATE REGISTRATION FOR THIS EVENT IS REQUIRED. SPACE IS LIMITED, REGISTER EARLY.

REGISTER HERE FOR LOAD GROWTH WORKSHOP