Proven Technology and Modernized Mechanisms
Darleen DeRosa is Vice President of Regulatory Affairs at Bidgely, leading policy and regulatory strategy in the U.S. and Canada. DeRosa works at the nexus of policy and technology to drive the development of a clean, reliable and responsive grid that empowers and engages customers. At Bidgely, she focuses on creating and supporting regulatory frameworks to enable utility adoption of innovative AI energy analytics solutions at the distribution grid edge. Previously, she served in Fortune 150 utility (Pacific Gas and Electric Company) senior policy and operations roles and at technology firms delivering utility solutions.
Energy affordability is grabbing national headlines as utilities, consumers, tech companies, and voters grapple with rising power costs. For utility commissions, however, affordability is a long-standing obligation codified in state law and regulatory charters to ensure safe, reliable, and affordable service.
Yet as the energy landscape rapidly evolves, striking the right balance among these three core mandates has become increasingly complex for regulatory leaders.
Because affordability is multifaceted by nature, addressing it requires a multifaceted policy approach. In September 2026, the North Carolina Clean Energy Technology Center published "The 50 States of Energy Affordability: September 2026 Quarterly Report" tracking policy actions across the country.
Since June 2026, 42 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico took a total of 334 actions related to energy affordability. The most frequent approaches targeted customer cost allocation (135), utility oversight and cost recovery (54), and customer cost-saving programs (41).