With electricity being one of the defining features of a modern economy and the power industry currently undergoing great change, it is critical that energy regulators consciously align the private interest with the public good and balance regulation with market forces. In a unique opportunity, the Vermont House Natural Resources and Energy Committee invited RAP directors Frederick Weston, Richard Sedano, and Richard Cowart to provide three days of foundational instruction on energy regulation, the history of the electricity market in Vermont, and the power sector of the future to regulators and the general public.

The first of three in-depth presentations explores the economics and practice of utility regulation, traditional cost-based price regulation, regulating utility financial commitments, the intricacies of energy efficiency, and performance-based regulation.