Twenty percent of the nation’s 200 state utility Commissioners completed PUF’s three-question anonymous survey.

“Customers currently qualify for the energy affordability program if household income is below 60% of state median income. This will soon extend to moderate-income households. Customers can demonstrate this to utilities by identifying enrollment in state and federal programs, such as the home energy assistance program or Medicaid.”

“The big issue we’re looking at this year is one that could impact capital costs in a public power utility; the need for tax-exempt municipal financing. The tax-exempt status would instantly raise costs if it were taken away.”

“There’s a temporal challenge, with EVs, data centers, and substation investments. Those decisions to enable serving that load are made 5-to-7 years before load shows up. It’s carrying 5-to-7 years of costs before seeing benefits. In the short term, you’re challenged by the impact on rates.”

“The beauty of economic development is if done right, it increases utility revenues and puts downward pressure on rates because of the increase in utility sales-billing volumes.”

Public Utilities Fortnightly examines the issues surrounding affordability challenges with leaders in the know.

I’m confident our industry and our regulators are up to the challenge, as has been proven time and time again in our history. Energy will become even more affordable going forward.

“Most of Alaska’s rural areas are served by small, isolated, and high-cost electric systems that are only connected by a statewide energy policy of power cost equalization to help reduce rural electric costs.”

“This year has brought dynamic changes to the global energy landscape, bringing both new challenges and new opportunities to the clean energy transition. Our monthly columns provided key insights into the trends and innovations shaping the future of electricity worldwide.”