Open to NARUC member commissioners and commission staff

Join this interactive workshop for in-depth training and facilitated discussion to help states navigate FERC Orders 1920 and 1920A’s requirements for cost allocation and regional planning of electric transmission. Participants will leave with a better understanding of lessons and approaches they can leverage from states in other regions; concrete topical areas to prioritize for their involvement in regional processes; and an understanding of support available to assist.

Registration for this event is free and open to NARUC Members: https://forms.office.com/r/vknmBReThm

This workshop is supported by the U.S. Department of Energy's Grid Deployment Office.

In an era of increasingly frequent and severe natural disasters, telecommunications is crucial for protecting public safety and ensuring consumer well being.  Reliable connectivity supports emergency communications, access to vital services, and the dissemination of critical information.  This panel will examine how the telcommunications and utility sectors work together to maintain service continuity during disasters, with a focus on consumer impact.  Panelists will share best practices and lessons learned. They will also discuss emerging technologies, strategies for resilience, and policy considertions to keep communities connected when disasters strike.

A growing number of public utility commissions are exploring opportunities to better engage members of the public in their proceedings. Improving public participation requires a broad-based approach that includes education, communications, and outreach and engagement. How are commissions engaging more diverse voices? What meaningful changes has that created in regulatory decision-making? In this interactive session, panelists will briefly present some key themes emerging from their work, and then audience members will participate in group discussions with a goal of developing meaningful ideas about increasing the voice of the public in regulatory agencies.

Part 1: Hear from experts on advanced strategies for the reliable integration of solar energy, emphasizing cutting-edge inverter technologies and real-time data analytics to effectively manage solar generation variability.

Part 2: Hear from the authors of NARUC's Grid Resilience Framework (forthcoming), an output from the Department of Energy's Energy Security and Grid Resilience Cohort project. 

This meeting is for members of the Select Committee and the Staff Subcommittee on Regulatory and Industry Diversity. 

More than a decade ago, electric customers ceased paying into the federal Nuclear Waste Fund following a lawsuit from NARUC. Today, nearly $50 billion continues to await congressional appropriation to fulfill the intent of the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982: for the U.S. Department of Energy to take on the siting, construction, and operation of deep geologic repositories for the disposal of the nation’s high-level radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel. Nuclear policy expert and Nuclear Waste Strategy Coalition Executive Committee member Bob Capstick will present to NARUC members on nuclear waste policy and what state utility regulators can do to support federal action towards a national integrated nuclear waste management program.

A sleeved Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) offers a unique construct where energy generated by a clean energy resource, along with its renewable energy attributes, is transmitted to a utility. The utility then allocates that energy and its attributes to a specific customer through an energy supply agreement or tariff structure. Customers benefit from paying a defined rate for the clean energy they receive, and, in many cases, also gain access to grid energy when their demand surpasses the clean energy resource's generation. However, the implementation of sleeved PPAs raises critical questions about balancing corporate clean energy goals with protecting non-participating customers from potential cost shifts. 
 

This panel will explore the complexities of sleeved PPAs, including: 
- Should corporate customer rates be determined through modeling or negotiation? 
- How should the term of the sleeved PPA align with the lifespan of the clean energy resource? 
- What consumer protections are essential when evaluating a sleeved PPA? 
- How can PPAs be structured to address risks if the clean energy resource underperforms or fails to reach commercial operation? 
- What happens if the customer’s energy load significantly grows or decreases after signing the agreement? 

1:30 pm         Welcome & Roll Call

1:35 pm         Approval of Nov. 10, 2024 Minutes

1:40 pm         NARUC Training Updates

• NARUC Rate School

• Center for Partnerships & Innovation Update    

• Regulatory Training Initiative

• NARUC New Commissioner Regulatory Orientation (NCRO)

2:10 pm         Applications for Support of an Event

2:20 pm         Spring 2025 Commission Staff Scholarships

2:25 pm         Any Other Business

2:30 pm         Adjourn

I. Vote on Resolutions 

II. Fireside Chat with Sharon Fain on Public-Private Partnerships Critical to Revitalizing Energy Communities

During the fireside chat, participants will delve into the evolving U.S. energy landscape, examining its profound implications for communities and the workforce, as well as the pivotal roles and responsibilities of utilities and regulatory bodies. The discussion will highlight resources and strategies available to facilitate economic revitalization within energy communities. Furthermore, participants will gain insights into programs designed to support impacted regions and workers, essential for preserving economic stability and promoting new opportunities in the energy sector. The session will also cover grassroots efforts by regulated utilities to mitigate the effects of power plant closures, alongside innovative projects driving economic diversification.

III. Presentation on Stakeholder Engagement for Carbon Pipelines

During this presentation, Nick Medina will present on ExxonMobil's stakeholder engagement work related to carbon pipeline siting efforts throughout North America and will include time for Q&A at the conclusion.

Extending natural gas service to unserved and underserved areas can be used to attract new and diverse businesses and industries resulting in immediate and long-term economic benefits. One such example is in the State of Nevada where legislation was enacted to permit the natural gas utility to expand its infrastructure to aid economic development. This panel will discuss the economic development spurred by extending natural gas service in unserved areas.

The NARUC Demand Roundtable is a one-year open communication forum that will convene at each of the three NARUC nationwide conferences in 2025. The goal of the Demand Roundtable series is to help State Commissioners better understand the large-scale projected energy load requests coming into their states to serve data centers, new manufacturing, and other sources of new energy demand.

The Demand Roundtable will be composed of 21 rotating Roundtable participants (seven State Commissioners, seven Utilities/RTOs/ISOs, and seven Mega-users). Each meeting will be an open discussion led by a facilitator asking questions to evoke conversation.

Commissioners and commission staff have an opportunity to step into the shoes of power generators and electricity suppliers! Attendees will experience first-hand how economic theory and market design can aid in informing regulatory policy. This interactive learning session examining wholesale power markets is sponsored by the Staff Subcommittee on Electricity.

Complimentary attendance but separate registration required. Space is limited.

Register for Power Markets Simulation (Commissioners and Commission Staff Only)

Utilities serve public benefits well, including maintaining energy delivery that is reliable, affordable, and accessible. The highest performing utilities also plan for workforce excellence, expansion, and retention, investing in training and recruitment from all capacities and backgrounds. Acknowledging the influence that the incumbent utility has in overall economic growth in their service territories, aligning utility programs with commission directives will speed adoption of universally beneficial investments in the American workforce.

Commissioners and their staffs are encouraged to participate in this session to discuss tools and techniques that boost success for utilities and the customers they serve. Utilities that embrace intentional, principled workforce planning, much like Integrated Resource Planning for utility assets, can deliver outstanding energy and community service, economic empowerment, and transformation to more efficient, sustainable systems while reducing customer costs. The panel will share an important, free online tool for energy workplace action: The Pathway Forward.

In this session, Commissioner Eric Skrmetta will bring forward a resolution to update the subcommittee's name. 

Then, Commissioners Tim Echols and Nick Myers will emcee a panel with Georgia Power's Jeremiah Haswell on how the math unfolded on construction for Vogtle Units 3 and 4, including how Georgia Power managed the projects’ prudency and reported milestones and challenges to the Georgia Public Service Commission. Then, Bob Capstick, a member of the Nuclear Waste Strategy Coalition Executive Committee, will break down the Nuclear Waste Fund: why it was created, how much it collected from state electric ratepayers, and what to do with it to make progress towards re-starting a national program to manage all the nation’s nuclear waste. Then, ClearPath's Niko McMurray will summarize the Accelerating Reliable Capacity (ARC) Act, a proposal from Sen. James Risch (R-ID) to encourage investment in advanced reactors. 

Commission Staff won't want to miss this interactive meeting on hot issues facing Commissions! 

Join Staff Chairs: Sallie Tanner & Doug Clark of SS on Exec Mgmt, Bridgett Frazier, SS on ALJ and Elizabeth Barnes and Greg Walklin, SS on Law, and be a part of the conversation. 

Interested in joining one of these Staff Subcommittees? Send email to Mmalloy@naruc.org. 

Pipelines are a central backbone to our modern society. However, as pipelines grow more complex and interconnected, they become prime targets for physical attacks, cyberattacks, and the ability to cause region-wide disasters. A robust, system-wide approach is crucial to safeguard operations. This panel will explore key strategies and challenges in pipeline safety management, focusing on cyber resilience, compliance, safety, and the important collaboration between State Pipeline Safety Programs (SPSPs) and the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA).

4:00 pm     Welcome

4:05 pm     International Programs Update

4:10 pm     Volunteering as a NARUC Expert in Laos

The session will share the experiences of an expert volunteer during the November 2024 “Peer Review on Establishing an Independent Regulator.” This peer review for the Lao PDR Ministry of Energy and Mines focused on steps to develop an independent energy regulator, which will be key to protecting consumer interests and electricity pricing.

4:15 pm     Volunteering as a NARUC Expert in Bosnia and Herzegovina

The session will share the experiences of an expert volunteer during the January 2025 “Aspiring Women Leaders in the BIH Energy Sector.” The goal of this training was for energy sector stakeholders across Bosnia and Herzegovina to focus on leadership skills.

4:20 pm     Update on the Jamaican Energy Sector

The session will provide an update on current events in the Jamaican energy sector.

4:30 pm    Advanced Reactors Global Market Outlook and Economic Assessment: United States and Canada AR Economic Assessment Study

The speaker will elaborate on how he led new work using the Electric Power Research Institute’s North American REGEN model to analyze nuclear energy’s future as an option in U.S. and Canadian energy portfolios. This work investigates how market and policy conditions could impact the competitiveness of advanced nuclear reactors (AR) in the U.S. and Canada and draws comparisons between AR and other power sector resources.

4:45 pm     Regional Lessons for Understanding Demand Flexibility and Distributed Resources

Demand-side flexibility is an essential system resource available to utilities for balancing supply and demand, and an opportunity for all utility customers to save money. The session will discuss how European regulators are finding value in enabling willing customers to modify the flexible portion of their electricity demand in response to system conditions, and other major findings in RAP recent report, The Joy of Flex.

5:00 pm        Adjourn

Utility payment plans and prepayment options are evolving to meet the needs of income-qualified customers, offering greater flexibility and choice. This panel will explore the variety of payment options available, including prepayment models, budget billing, and installment plans designed to reduce financial strain. Recognizing that there is no one-size-fits-all solution, discussions will address the benefits and challenges of these approaches. We will emphasize the importance of consumer protections to safeguard vulnerable populations, including against service disconnection. Panelists will share best practices for ensuring transparency, equity, and accessibility, while also addressing regulatory considerations and innovations that can enhance the customer experience for income-qualified households.

(Commission Chairs Only)

(Invitees Only)

Welcome to Washington

Kick off of the 2025 Winter Policy Summit by The Hon. Ann Rendahl, Washington, NARUC 1st Vice President

Mutual Assistance: The Power of Partnership

Mutual assistance plays a critical role in keeping the lights on. From its humble beginnings where utilities joined together organically in response to storms, to the robust support network that it is today — deploying tens of thousands of personnel and resources to storm hit areas — mutual assistance is a great example of the power of partnership and the recognition of energy as a necessity.

The grid remains vulnerable to impacts from myriad risks throughout the country, including hurricanes, bomb cyclones, ice storms, and wildfires. Electric companies and regulators are continuing to implement or explore measures for grid hardening, with prudent investments to reduce the extent, intensity, and duration of extreme weather events. Although these efforts will protect infrastructure, limit outages, and reduce system restoration times, mutual assistance programs will continue their long history of providing a framework for sharing skilled personnel and/or equipment from unaffected areas to those in need, expediting the restoration process.

This panel will explore the history of mutual assistance efforts, various mutual assistance frameworks, and the organizations that support these efforts. Panelists will discuss the evolution of these programs and the industry’s year-round planning and preparation efforts, provide real examples of how mutual assistance efforts are deployed, and explain the coordination required for effective system restoration following major outage events.

• Chris Womack, Chairman, President and CEO, Southern Company
• Chris Harris, International Representative Utility Dept. IBEW
• Michele O'Connell, President & CEO, Orange and Rockland
• Maria Pope, CEO & President, Portland General Electric
• Harry Sideris, President, Duke Energy
• Eliecer Viamontes, Chief Executive Officer, Entergy Texas, Inc.

EPRI Presentation: Foundational Report on Demand and Load Growth:

• Arshad Mansoor, President and CEO, EPRI

State utility regulators have been tasked with a growing set of objectives beyond the safety, reliability, and affordability of energy utilities. As policymakers and stakeholders press utility commissions to implement emissions reduction strategies, it is important to look at the bigger picture of what is driving economy-wide emissions and who is involved in regulating those sectors. Where do utility commissions fit in this complex and evolving landscape? How much impact can they have on emissions? And what regulatory approaches are feasible – and, more importantly, just and reasonable – for utility commissions to implement?

In December of 2023, the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) nearly tripled its 9-year electricity demand forecast from the prior year, from 200 to 550 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of growth. Within the last year, several U.S. utilities and ISO/RTOs significantly increased their peak demand forecasts, largely driven by a surge in data centers, manufacturing, and federal, state and local policies advancing electrification.

Given the significant investment required to upgrade and expand the grid, this panel will explore best practices in dealing with expected, but uncertain, load growth. Consumers cannot afford to either wait years for adequate supplies of electricity, nor to experience unnecessary overbuilds like we saw in the 1970’s or ’80’s.  How can regulators better forecast when, where, and what amounts load growth will appear? How do regulators use ever-changing forecasts to determine a prudent amount of transmission and generation and avoid under- or over-building? How can regulators meet this unprecedented load growth while ensuring ratepayers do not face exorbitant utility bills?

Panelists will discuss the evolving communications policy landscape under the new Congress and new FCC leadership. Panelists will outline key legislative and regulatory priorities, includng broadband expansion, spectrum policy, and oversight of emerging technologies. This session will also explore how these planned federal initiatives may impact states' regulatory frameworks.

In a landmark decision, the U.S. Supreme Court recently overturned the Chevron doctrine, a long-standing principle that gave deference to federal agencies' interpretations of ambiguous laws. Eight months after this decision, how have we seen the results play out in the energy space? What does this mean for the future of FERC rulemaking, and how might it reshape the role of the courts in interpreting legislation? What changed role or authority, if any, will states have moving forward? Join our panel of experts to explore the results and the future impacts of this decision on FERC, states, and other actors in the energy system.   

Joint Business Meeting of the Water Committee and Staff Subcommittee on Water

 11:15 - 11:45     Update on Federal Utility Funding Programs

 11:45 - 12:15     Business Meeting and State Updates

(Invitees Only)

How Does Your Crystal Ball Compare to Others? Hear Federal Policy Predictions for 2025 From Several Major Trade Associations

 Water utilities of all sizes face are facing challenges that are placing upward pressure on rates.  Today’s water providers must juggle wildfires, severe storms, cyber threats, aging infrastructure, and requirements to replace lead services lines and remediate for PFAS, all while trying to ensure that rates continue to be affordable for customers.  On this panel, utilities of various sizes and geographic locations will discuss how they are managing these challenges while also keeping in mind affordability.

As broadband construction picks up pace across the country in 2025, protection of existing buried infrastructure will be paramount. Failures of communication and coordination between broadband providers and existing utilities could cause significant delays, unnecessary costs, or risks to public safety. This panel will explore ways incoming broadband providers can increase cooperation and efficiency in the buildout process to the benefit of the providers, utilities, and ratepayers alike.

THE TELECOM COMMITTEE BUSINESS MEETING WILL BE HELD AT 1:30 PM BEFORE THIS PANEL.

In almost every part of the U.S., electricity and gas currently complement each other in delivering safe, affordable, and reliable power and heat to American homes and buildings. Delivering these commodities to end users depends on decentralized and interdependent distribution networks, much of which is subject to state regulation. As patterns of both electricity and gas use are changing in response to extreme weather events, customer and policy pushes for decarbonization, and load growth, questions are emerging about how state utility regulators can oversee prudent investments in both types of infrastructure. This panel will explore technology options, analytical tools, and regulatory strategies to integrate and optimize gas and electric systems.

The start of a new administration promises a fresh perspective and a new set of federal energy priorities. This panel will invite speakers from within the beltway to share their energy policy forecasts for the next four years; identify key areas for potential federal regulatory and legislative action; and discuss possible impacts on state utility regulators.

Executive Director's Greeting

Tony Clark will deliver his first address to NARUC since becoming Executive Director on January 1. He'll provide insights into the work of the Association and preview what to expect in 2025. 

Remarks by Senator Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia

Introduction by the Hon. Charlotte Lane, West Virginia

Fireside Chat with the Hon. David Wright, Chair, Nuclear Regulatory Commission

Remarks by Ms. Grace Stanke, Nuclear Fuels Engineer & Clean Energy Advocate, Constellation; Miss America 2023 (Wisconsin)

(Commissioner Emeritus Only)

(Invitees Only)

(Invitees Only)

(Invitees Only)

(Invitees Only)

(Invitees Only)

(Commission Staff Only)

(Commissioners Only)

1. Honorary and substantive resolution discussion and vote
2. NARUC Center for Partnerships & Innovation update
3. Center for Strategic and International Studies Report Shows Natural Gas is Critical for U.S. Manufacturing Competitiveness

The water and wastewater sectors depend on the digital world, leveraging technology for monitoring, operations and communicating with customers. At the same time, water utilities are the targets for many cyber criminals who are aware that any disruption to the water sector will have significant impacts on the communities they serve, as well as to other critical infrastructure. Panelists will discuss resources and innovations available to help protect the water utilities from cyber crimes, as well as real world lessons learned from experience with cyberattacks.

As demand for artificial intelligence grows, so is the need for large-scale data centers. Serving this load will require vast resources and planning. Large loads can require extensive transmission and system upgrades which could take years to develop, and whose cost may be borne by all customers. Supporters of co-locating data centers with existing nuclear power plants claim this approach will make grid upgrade costs easier to allocate to these new loads. However, co-location would also remove existing reliable zero-carbon generation from serving customers on the broader grid. As such, is co-location with nuclear generation the answer to spur rapid growth in zero-carbon data centers? Or should other approaches be considered?

Regardless of how policymakers and grid operators opt to proceed, all stakeholders can agree that this transformational development must be done in a manner that ensures a reliable and affordable electric system for all customers.

This panel will bring together experts to explore potential the benefits and challenges of co-locating data centers with nuclear power plants. This is a complicated subject with plenty of room for differing opinions in uncharted energy waters!

In some regions of the country, competitive power markets have had a two-decade long history of attracting capital and allocating the resources necessary to meet consumer and business needs reliably and cost-effectively. Today, these markets face an expanding demand for energy and an evolving resource mix. This panel will explore the role wholesale power markets play in attracting and retaining resources needed to ensure reliable and affordable energy amidst this energy expansion, including serving new large loads such as data centers and advanced manufacturing facilities. Panelists will discuss evolving market designs that help accurately reflect the reliability and resource adequacy attributes of the current and future resource mix to meet expanding electric demand and deliver better outcomes for consumers.

Copper networks are costly to maintain and can't provide competitive broadband speeds, but regulators don't want swaths of rural and low-income households to lose access to 911 and voice services.  As broadband expands across the country, has the time come to declare plain old telephone service dead?  AT&T has announced plans to decommission its copper networks across its footprint (with the exception of California) by 2029.  Other companies are expected to follow suit.  As users move from POTS to services provided over broadband, how can states ensure that consumer protections remain in place and that both voice and data services remain available to all?

I.     Electricity Committee vote on Resolutions

II.   NARUC Center for Partnerships & Innovation Update

III. Multi-Benefit Technology Investments to Improve Customer Service and Engagement

This two-part panel will explore technology solutions that can improve customer engagement and service.   

Part 1: The distribution grid is becoming much more dynamic to both prevent and quickly respond to customer outages.  Energy companies are making critical investments in the distribution grid to ensure and enhance resilience, safety, and reliability.  In addition, the clean-energy future requires a modern grid that is capable of securely integrating distributed renewable resources and battery storage; capable of supporting electrification of the transportation sector; and one that enables greater customer participation in managing their energy needs.    The panel will discuss the new tools utilities are exploring to achieve improved resilience, the technologies that provide greater system visibility and control to mitigate risk and enable systems integration, and how these investments benefit customers in multiple ways.   

Part 2: In today's fast-paced digital world, text messaging is quickly becoming the preferred method for customer engagement—especially in industries like utilities, where clear and timely communication is crucial. More and more utilities are turning to auto-enrollment text messaging services to keep customers informed and engaged, with a simple manual opt-in function. But with this shift comes new challenges and opportunities. How does this emerging trend of text-based communication compare to traditional app-based systems? What are the potential risks and rewards for both consumers and service providers? And what role should regulators play in ensuring a fair, transparent, and efficient system? Join our expert panel as we dive into these pressing questions, exploring the future of customer engagement in utilities and the regulatory landscape that will shape it. (2 speakers)  

There are over 1,600 community solar projects across 41 states plus DC, contributing 6.5 GW of energy to the grid.  Minnesota has implemented a community solar mandate and incentives, including requiring 30% of the capacity to be reserved for low to moderate income households.  What are different community solar program design options?  How can regulators support equitable access to these programs?  How can CSG programs be combined with bill assistance, such as through recent policy changes to LIHEAP?  How should regulators encourage or require bill savings for participants?

The 6th Circuit decision has limited the FCC's ability to set policies for and oversee broadband access service (BIAS).  In recent years, legislators and regulators in a growing number of states have explored and enacted laws and policies addressing issues like netwrk neutrality. consumer privacy, universal service, digital discrimination, and VoIP regulation, just to name a few.  Will the 6th Circuit decision accelerte this process?  How will the states respond?  Panelists will disciss tjese trends, offer their predictions for what might come next, and explore the impact of this new regulator dynamic on consumers.

There is a growing demand for biogas across the country. This panel will feature presentations from leading experts in the field with a focus on the role that biogas will play in the clean energy future. Panelists will discuss what biogas is and how it supports energy supply and gas infrastructure agility, including the role of biogas in the production of hydrogen, e-fuels, and renewable natural gas. Panelists will also offer insights on policies driving biogas production like organics diversion and “clean-firm” electricity, and the impact on regulators and utilities.

Our nation’s drinking water infrastructure system is made up of 2.2 million miles of underground pipes that deliver safe, reliable water to millions of people. Unfortunately, the system is aging and in need of replacement.  Add to this the recent mandates by EPA for water utilities to install PFAS remediation and address lead and copper pipes, and the result is that many water utilities will be undertaking massive infrastructure projects in 2025.  However, executing these projects is not always easy.  Utilities are under timelines to comply with EPA regulations, however, permitting for these projects can present a challenge.  Securing funding, whether through private capital or through grants, can also be difficult. Panelists will discuss the challenges they face in siting infrastructure projects and potential solutions to ensure these necessary projects see the light of day.  

Remarks by U.S. Senator James Risch, Idaho 

Snapshot of Reliability: A National Update of Natural Gas

• Hon. Stephen DeFrank, Pennsylvania
• LLoyd Yates, President & CEO, NiSource and AGA Board Chairman

Federal Communications Commission: Wireless Security & the Energy Network

• Hon. Michael Caron, Connecticut
• Hon. Nathan Simington, Federal Communications Commission

Investor-Owned Utilities (IOUs) are heavily dependent on access to capital markets to make the necessary investments to satisfy their obligation to serve. Trends in the power sector such as AI and data center growth, infrastructure expansion, electrification of transit fleets, and increased risk from natural disasters continue to put pressure on the cost of capital threatening affordability and overall operations. Trends outside of the power sector like interest rate fluctuations, changes in macro-economic conditions or even regulatory changes at agencies like the Securities and Exchange Commission can have a downstream impact on the flow of capital. 

 Though the information may appear dull to some, regulators should be keenly aware of how these broader trends impact the finances of the utilities they regulate. Breaking down information silos and combatting the perception that regulators are wary of talking to investment analysts is a key tenet of this conversation. 

 This panel will identify the principal participants in the capital markets and how their roles influence the cost of and access to capital by electric utilities. Experts will share insights on the capital market outlook, given the need for utilities to access capital to fund their capital expenditure plans. Additionally, panelists will highlight ways to improve collaboration, partnership, and information sharing among regulators and investors.

Part 1: From Regulators to Legislators

The Winter Policy Summit will be joined by two former state commissioners who now serve in the halls of Congress. Attendees will hear from Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-NM) and Congresswoman Julie Fedorchak (R-ND). As former NARUC members, both know the pressures faced by state regulators, and they’ve taken that experience with them to the U.S. House and U.S. Senate. Sen. Luján served on the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission prior to his election to the U.S. House, and later the U.S. Senate. Of particular interest to NARUC members, he sits on the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Rep. Fedorchak is NARUC’s Immediate Past President and was elected to Congress in November 2024. In January, she became one of the first freshman members in years seated on the powerful House Energy and Commerce Committee. Both will share their perspectives on prospects for new legislation in the 119th Congress, and their thoughts on emerging public policies that are of interest to NARUC members and stakeholders.

Speakers:
Hon. Ben Ray Luján, U.S. Senator, New Mexico
Hon. Julie Fedorchak, U.S. Representative, North Dakota

Part 2: Peering into the DC Crystal Ball

As 2025 begins, a new Administration and new Congress have ushered in a substantially different policy and regulatory landscape for the regulated utility industry. With newly confirmed or anticipated leaders at the Department of Energy, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of the Interior, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, and other bodies, the direction taken by these agencies and Capitol Hill will greatly affect the work of state regulators, industry, and consumer groups.

How will issues such as customer affordability, capital investment, grid reliability, resilience, and resource adequacy play out in the new political environment? What are some strategies to constructively engage with the new Administration and Congress?

 This panel, comprised of executives from leading industry trade associations, will discuss their priority issues in the coming year and explore how industry groups are responding to new policies, including regulatory and legislative changes.

Moderator: Hon. Gabriella Passidomo Smith, Florida

Participants: 

• Michelle Bloodworth, President & CEO, America's Power
• Marty Durbin, President, Global Energy Institute, U.S. Chamber of Commerce
• Jason Grumet, CEO, American Clean Power Association (ACP)
• Karen Harbert, President & CEO, American Gas Association (AGA)
• Maria Korsnick, President & CEO, Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI)
• Robert Powelson, President & CEO, National Association of Water Companies (NAWC)

The NARUC Board of Director Meeting is open to all registrants.

Wednesday, Feb. 26 1:00 – 4:30 pm ET
Supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Nuclear Energy
Open to commissioners and commission staff, State Energy Office staff, and invited guests, pending availability. If you are not with a PUC, please contact Kiera Zitelman at kzitelman@naruc.org to request an invite. 
Register: https://forms.office.com/r/GrBgB3UCKQ
Following the passage of the ADVANCE Act in July 2024, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission is implementing reforms toward the efficient regulation of advanced nuclear reactors. This workshop will engage state public utility commissions and NRC leadership and staff to learn about the Commission’s regulatory modernization initiatives, share information about NRC licensing timelines for activities, identify strategies to enhance the economic and safety regulation of advanced reactors, and discuss opportunities for collaboration between the NRC and states.