EPISODE · Apr 11, 2023 · 1H 38M
Episode 1 - The Electric Utility Business Model
from Rise Up · host the MREA
When it comes to transitioning the electricity system, we are constrained by public policy choices and investment decisions made over the last 100 years. The past decisions have given us the infrastructure, ownership structure, regulatory process, and debts that define how we produce and use electricity. Today, we are poised to further electrify our energy use which will layer investments onto a system already at cross purposes with fundamental goals of transition to a more distributed and open system. It begs the question: Could we better align our social goals and the goals of the monopoly owners of the electricity system? Could we, in a sense, all be rowing in the same direction? Or is the regulated monopoly system ultimately inadequate to address the challenges and take the best advantage of the opportunities present in a clean energy transition? With these questions in mind, we’ll begin the conversation with Andrew Kell, Policy Director at Renew Wisconsin. We’ll take a deep dive into utility regulation, and we’ll discuss regulatory strategies that enable DERs and local, clean energy development as central to the energy transition in the Midwest. We cover a lot of territory so grab a coffee and get comfortable. 0:19 – Nick overviews the history of electric utility ownership, construction, and investment 6:56 - Nick overviews transitioning to a DER-based electric grid model 10:14 – Andrew shares primary recent trends we see emerging in the energy transition 11:36 – Pros and cons of a privately investor-owned utility model 14:00 – How utilities garner investment and build infrastructure 16:00 – Motivations of the PSC, IOUs, and other stakeholders 19:00 – How does the PSC set tariffs for different ratepayers 34:04 - Construction and rate cases before the PSC 37:40 – The value of an integrated resource plan 45:26 - How municipal and cooperative utilities differ from IOUs 54:44 - State legislation’s impact on energy markets and infrastructure 1:01:32 – Wisconsin's “Grand Bargain” energy regulatory environment 1:08:43 – Community solar in Wisconsin 1:05:09 - MISO and wholesale energy markets 1:21:56 – Review and paths forward 1:36:07 – Zero carbon future by 2050 study
What this episode covers
When it comes to transitioning the electricity system, we are constrained by public policy choices and investment decisions made over the last 100 years. The past decisions have given us the infrastructure, ownership structure, regulatory process, and debts that define how we produce and use electricity. Today, we are poised to further electrify our energy use which will layer investments onto a system already at cross purposes with fundamental goals of transition to a more distributed and open system. It begs the question: Could we better align our social goals and the goals of the monopoly owners of the electricity system? Could we, in a sense, all be rowing in the same direction? Or is the regulated monopoly system ultimately inadequate to address the challenges and take the best advantage of the opportunities present in a clean energy transition? With these questions in mind, we’ll begin the conversation with Andrew Kell, Policy Director at Renew Wisconsin. We’ll take a deep dive into utility regulation, and we’ll discuss regulatory strategies that enable DERs and local, clean energy development as central to the energy transition in the Midwest. We cover a lot of territory so grab a coffee and get comfortable. 0:19 – Nick overviews the history of electric utility ownership, construction, and investment 6:56 - Nick overviews transitioning to a DER-based electric grid model 10:14 – Andrew shares primary recent trends we see emerging in the energy transition 11:36 – Pros and cons of a privately investor-owned utility model 14:00 – How utilities garner investment and build infrastructure 16:00 – Motivations of the PSC, IOUs, and other stakeholders 19:00 – How does the PSC set tariffs for different ratepayers 34:04 - Construction and rate cases before the PSC 37:40 – The value of an integrated resource plan 45:26 - How municipal and cooperative utilities differ from IOUs 54:44 - State legislation’s impact on energy markets and infrastructure 1:01:32 – Wisconsin's “Grand Bargain” energy regulatory environment 1:08:43 – Community solar in Wisconsin 1:05:09 - MISO and wholesale energy markets 1:21:56 – Review and paths forward 1:36:07 – Zero carbon future by 2050 study
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Episode 1 - The Electric Utility Business Model
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