Guide Offers Additional Information on Changing Power Sector

Responding to the transformational change in the power sector over the past five years, the Regulatory Assistance Project (RAP) released a second edition of its handbook, Electricity Regulation in the US: A Guide, which preserves the first edition’s fundamental look at utility regulation in the United States while offering fresh insight into this rapidly evolving area.

As customer demand for clean, local energy grows, prices for renewable technologies fall dramatically, and increasingly smart infrastructure is needed to modernize the power system, the regulatory framework continues to evolve to keep pace. The second edition of Electricity Regulation in the US: A Guide takes a thorough, expert look at these issues, updating and expanding on the original guide published by RAP in 2011. Like its predecessor, the updated guide provides a broad perspective on the universe of utility regulation, including industry structure, regulation, ratemaking, transmission, planning, energy efficiency, emissions, low-income programs, and more.

New chapters address integrated distribution system planning and renewable energy, and offer a more detailed look at the regulatory treatment of environmental compliance costs. An expanded section on the fundamentals of rate regulation weighs issues that have been raised by technological developments, including the “smart” grid and the rise of distributed renewable generation.

Electricity Regulation in the US: A Guide is designed to provide an overview of the electric power industry and how it’s regulated in the public interest. Newly appointed regulatory commissioners, newly hired regulatory staffers, and first-time rate case participants will find the guide a useful point of reference. Others with more experience will find new insights into the evolution of the regulatory framework and a handy reference for elements of the process with which they have limited familiarity.

Each chapter is succinct, but contains references to relevant documents that have more detail. The guide also includes a lengthy glossary of utility-sector terms, as well as lists of references to related RAP publications and other useful resources.