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From Both Sides Now: Bob Rowe Retiring

NorthWestern Energy

“Dealing with supply restructuring was challenge enough, but as Montana Power transitioned into being a telco, which ended up in a liquidation bankruptcy, NorthWestern Public Service came in, committed to the utility operation, and acquired the distribution system.”
Byline: 

Bob Rowe with Paul Kjellander

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NARUC's Winter Summit

The More Things Change

There’s less than two weeks to go before we’ll be getting together again in D.C. in mid-February. As usual it will be a lot warmer inside the Renaissance Hotel than outside of it, at NARUC’s 2023 Winter Meeting; formally the Winter Policy Summit.
Byline: 

Steve Mitnick

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December PPI Data

December’s Producer Price Index report was released last week. The good news in the natural gas commodity markets is now translating to good news for the electric utility industry.

The key indicator is the price trend in natural gas purchases by electric power producers. That price was down 12.4 percent in December year-over-year.

Why does that matter? Because last June that price was up 98.2 percent year-over-year. As recently as September that price was up 40.7 percent year-over-year.

Lowest Income's Electric Bills

In 2021, the average income before taxes of the lowest income households in the U.S. (the lowest quintile) was only one-seventeenth of the income before taxes of the highest income households (the highest quintile). One-seventeenth. That is indeed a very small fraction.

Even after taxes, the average income for the lowest income households was only one-twelfth of the average for the highest income households. One-twelfth. That’s still a very small fraction.

EEI Wins Energy Advocates of the Year

An International Scope

“EEI won the 2022 CHARGE Energy Branding Award for Energy Advocates of the Year. The award recognizes EEI for its International Programs and global electrification advocacy efforts.”
Byline: 

Lawrence Jones

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Inflation, Monetary Policy, Interest Rates

Implications for Utilities and Regulators

Panelists brought together by University of Missouri’s Financial Research Institute included Big Rivers Electric Corp. CFO Talina Mathews, Energize Strategies Founder Ted Thomas, NASUCA Executive Director David Springe, and Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis Lead Economist William Emmons.
Byline: 

Talina Mathews et al.

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