Growing numbers of local governments, such as cities and counties, have identified benefits from working with public utility commissions (PUCs or commissions) to further their goals around clean energy, resilience, and affordability.
For local government staff, elected officials, and the communities they serve, this document identifies the opportunities and benefits of working with commissions on energy and resilience, and lays out options that local governments have for participating in regulatory processes and how they can be most effective.
For utility commissioners and commission staff, this document identifies the value that local governments can bring to regulatory proceedings because of their positions as large energy users, as entities seeking to speak for many diverse community interests, and as policymakers with cross-cutting roles. Furthermore, their on-the-ground experience can play a critical role in helping PUCs achieve their missions to regulate utilities in the public interest.
This mini guide identifies key areas in which local governments may engage with PUCs, the potential impacts of local government engagement at PUCs, and opportunities that exist to make regulatory processes more accessible for city and county staff. It was prepared for the National Council on Electricity Policy, administered by the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners Center for Partnerships & Innovation.
