Utility Rate Cases 101: How Local Governments Can Address Rising Electricity Prices
Rate cases are a key part of public utility regulation. Decisions in rate cases directly affect customer bills and have wider implications for equity, clean energy deployment, and reliability. Local governments across the United States are eager to understand how utility decisions (including rates) are made—especially as rising electricity bills have become a key fixture of news headlines and political debates in recent months.
While some local governments have engaged in rate cases and achieved success in lowering rate increases and advancing their goals, others are unfamiliar with the ratemaking process (which can be technical and are often contested). Now is a critical time for the level of understanding to increase, because utility rate cases present an excellent opportunity for local governments to influence decisions about the energy system to benefit their communities.
Learn more about WRI's Power System Reform Initiative
Join World Resources Institute (WRI)’s Polsky Center for the Global Energy Transition for a one-hour webinar that demystifies the utility rate case process. This session will provide a foundational overview of what rate cases are, why and when utilities file them, who the key decision-makers and intervenors are, and how the regulatory process typically unfolds. WRI will emphasize the role that local governments can play in this process alongside other important stakeholders. In addition to discussing illustrative case studies, participants will also hear directly from Ann Arbor about their experience intervening.
Speakers:
- Ian Goldsmith, Clean Energy Specialist, WRI U.S. Polsky Energy Center
- Missy Stults, Sustainability and Innovations Director, Ann Arbor Office of Sustainability and Innovations
- Jenn Tribble, Community Clean Energy Manager, WRI U.S. Polsky Energy Center (moderator)
Utility Rate Cases 101: A Guide for Local Government Engagement is the fourth webinar in a series on how local governments can engage with utilities and state regulators to shape energy policy. Previous webinar recordings and slides can be found online.
