From the Editor
Steve Mitnick has authored five books on the economics, history, and people of the utilities industries. While in the consulting practice leadership of McKinsey & Co. and Marsh & McLennan, he advised utility leaders. He led a transmission development company and was a New York Governor’s chief energy advisor. Mitnick was an expert witness appearing before utility regulatory commissions of six states, D.C., FERC, and in Canada, and taught microeconomics, macroeconomics, and statistics at Georgetown University.
Since 2018 — excepting two pandemic years — the Public Utilities Fortnightly team has hosted the Summer Summit Soapbox Luncheon at NARUC's midsummer conference. It's become an institution practically. And a beloved one at that.
This summer's edition featured two-minute speeches by the Chairs of the New York, Wyoming, and Washington Commissions, the former Chair of the Maryland Commission, and a former FERC Commissioner. Among other stars in the utility regulatory universe.
As usual, the speeches were often filled with humor. And as usual, Commission Staff attending the Soapbox Luncheon were masterfully in charge of the cowbells, vigilant to keep each speaker to two minutes, lest he or she be startingly rung off.
For the first time, I joined the lineup of two-minute speakers. Here's my speech, which I must admit, did exceed two minutes, hence the chorus of cowbells that greeted my last words.
"I remember the date. I was in this rate case.
At stake, as we litigate, is the utility's fate.