“A bipartisan Natural Gas Innovation Act we supported was ultimately passed. That provided a framework for the Minnesota PUC to address innovations in natural gas service, like RNG, carbon sequestration, hydrogen, and whatever technology comes next.”

How do today’s natural gas utilities find the right balance, rigorously addressing ESG priorities while continuing to meet the needs of the communities they serve via gas utility service? In the conversations below, leaders from CenterPoint Energy, Eversource, NiSource, NW Natural, and Sempra Energy (both at San Diego Gas & Electric and at the parent) take on directly how they are managing that balance.

“ESG impacts everything: the way companies trade, the way they are growing, and their M&A strategy, as well as how shareholder activists are screening companies and sectors.”

“Our nuclear plants in Minnesota are an important part of our overall strategy. We are building some natural gas to maintain reliability, as we retire most of the coal plants in our generation fleet.”

“Our ultimate goal is to exit coal at some point in the future, but that transition needs to be done in a thoughtful manner where we’re not risking reliability.”

“We’ve added thousands of smart grid devices, including sensors and switches, and distribution automation on every circuit. We have one of the most advanced distribution networks in the country. We’ve deployed a state-of-the-art DERMS.”

“Moody’s Investor Services names NorthWestern Energy in the top 5 among 50 publicly traded North American utility and power companies on Best Governance Practices.”

“Our five-year plan is based on investment in renewables. Part of that is because we are in Missouri and Kansas, and Kansas is the wind capital of the nation.”

“Last year, in partnership with EPRI, we conducted our first sustainability materiality assessment, which is a best practice in the ESG space.”

“We are at an inflection point — we have a clean energy strategy on the table right now, and if regulators are supportive, by 2030 our generating portfolio will flip to 52% renewable energy.”