Most of America’s transmission grid was built in the 20th century to serve central power stations burning coal, oil, more recently, fossil gas, and nuclear stations.  In a world where solar and wind energy are now less expensive than fossil-fuel generated energy — and much less expensive with the costs of pollution are considered — it is indisputable that ...

In a roundtable webinar discussion, RAP staff highlighted what states can do (and are doing) on a variety of topics — from performance regulation to system planning to rate design — to navigate the energy transition with the customer’s interests always a top priority. The panel also discussed opportunities stemming from federal action....

Utility regulators, whether they be veterans or new to the job, are often eager to make a positive impact on the transformation of the electric sector by addressing such areas as distributed generation and storage, electric vehicles (EVs) and carbon policy. Many commissions are breaking new ground in these and other areas and can serve as examples to their peers....

​Although some New England utilities offer modernized rates for special applications, like electric vehicles and battery storage, there is substantial room for improvement in time-varying residential pricing. This policy brief, the last in a series examining rate design issues across New England, looks more closely at time-varying rates offered by utilities in ...

​​PJM and the other U.S. independent system operators/regional transmission operators have a record of delivering enormous consumer benefits in the 20-plus years since organized wholesale markets were first introduced in the United States. But the Minimum Offer Price Rule order issued by FERC in December – requiring PJM to rewrite its capacity market rules ...

​The transition from internal combustion engine vehicles to electric vehicles (EVs) presents a unique opportunity for the utility sector. EVs have the ability to become a valuable grid resource because of their flexibility, but if their integration is not well-managed, they could add to load at inopportune times, increasing costs and carbon emissions. This p...

This policy brief, a generic version of a memo provided for a state public utility commission, considers starting points for how to apply performance-based regulation and associated performance incentive mechanisms to distribution system investments by utilities. Ensuring that such investments are cost-effective begins by outlining goals that a state utility c...

Technology has evolved faster than utility-offered rate designs have, and consumer choice will continue to grow as advanced energy technologies -- from electric vehicles to battery storage -- and smart grid optionality become available. These changes should likewise prompt advances in electricity pricing, in order to send price signals that are consistent with gr...

Perhaps the most basic of electricity sector rules, one that has operated for over a century, is that electricity must be generated at precisely the same time it's consumed. For years, grid operators have determined load on a system and adjusted supply by adding available generators to meet it, first with the lowest-cost units, then adding more expensive ones unt...