The first affordability crisis took place during the Panic of 1907, a devastating downturn in the nation’s economy. The broken banking system couldn’t continue to provide capital to the electric companies, bringing to a screeching halt the expansion of electric service beyond the wealthiest communities. Lowering the risk of the companies, albeit also lowering their profit potential, broke the logjam.

When NTUA approached Salt River Project in 2019 to share the challenges they faced, including that bringing electricity to all homes in the Navajo Nation could take more than fifty years to complete, SRP responded immediately.

Beyond the Blueprint

As the NARUC community gathers this November, it’s clear that Washington offers more than scenic views. It offers a glimpse into what’s possible when legislative ambition, regulatory innovation, and utility leadership move in concert turning clean energy from aspiration into everyday reality.

In Atlanta, Women of Renewable Industries and Sustainable Energy celebrated its 20th anniversary in October. Through workshops, keynotes, and offsite events, the event embodied WRISE’s vision of creating a transformed energy ecosystem where all people and our planet thrive.

Building for Tomorrow’s Demand

Dentons held its annual US Energy Summit 2025 in September at the Dentons Washington, D.C. Office Conference Center with a focus on modernizing energy infrastructure and addressing national energy challenges.

West Virginia PSC modified a request for proposal for a management audit of electric service reliability. The Commission’s aim was to extend deadlines for proposals and the resulting project. The focus is to be that state’s distribution system served by Appalachian Power and Wheeling Power, operating companies of American Electric Power.

“We’ll try to simplify Allgood’s writings and calculations as to how to figure out specific water systems’ operational data that generally is unavailable during the planning process, under no legal obligation to disclose, and often cloaked in the sphere of proprietary information on data center operation.”