Megan Hall: Welcome to Possibly, where we take on huge problems like the future of our planet, and break them down into small questions with unexpected answers. I’m Megan Hall.
If we want to avoid the worst of climate change, it’s pretty clear that we need to start getting our energy from sources that don’t create greenhouse gasses- like solar and wind power. But how do we get there? One powerful partner is a state agency you’ve probably never heard of. Juliana Merullo and Janek Schaller from our Possibly team are here to explain.
Juliana Merullo: Hiya!
Janek Schaller: Hi there!
Megan Hall: So, what’s this obscure state agency that can help us address climate change?
Juliana Merullo: It’s called a Public Utilities Commission, or PUC for short. In some states, they go by other names like Public Service Commissions.
Megan Hall: And what do they do?
Janek Schaller: Their exact powers and mandates vary from state to state. But generally, they’re responsible for regulating the privately owned utility companies that supply us with things like electricity, gas, and water.
Juliana Merullo: Here in Rhode Island, that utility company is called Rhode Island Energy. You probably get a bill from them every month. The PUC regulates them by setting the rates they can charge, and approving any new infrastructure the utility company wants to invest in.
Megan Hall: Ok that makes sense. But how are they going to help us reduce our emissions?
Juliana Merullo: To answer this question, we talked to Jared Heern. He’s a post-doc at Brown who recently published a study on PUCs. He says that in the past, climate change wasn’t even part of their focus.
Jared Heern: Historically, the mission of public utility Commission’s has just been to ensure reliable service at the lowest possible rates for consumers, while allowing a reasonable return on investment for the utilities. That mission has nothing to do with the environment.
Janek Schaller: But that’s starting to change. Across the country, states are starting to require PUCs to also focus on the environmental impact of their decisions.
Juliana Merullo: This is a big deal because Public Utilities Commissions have the power to push utility companies to invest in renewable energy. And that’s key if we want to reduce our emissions.
Megan Hall: Here in Rhode Island, we’ve passed a couple of bills that set targets for reducing our emissions. Are PUCs part of those efforts?
Janek Schaller: Yes! In 2022 the Rhode Island legislature passed a bill requiring 100% renewable energy by 2033. But it doesn’t specify how to reach that benchmark.
Juliana Merullo: That’s where the PUC steps in. They’re responsible for transitioning the state off fossil fuel generated electricity and pressuring utility companies to add renewable energy sources to the grid.
Janek Schaller: Jared, from Brown University, says they can also make it easier, or harder, to build new renewable energy infrastructure. Even if we build as many solar panels or wind turbines as we want, utility companies still need permits to connect them to the grid and use that energy.
Jared Heern: PUC plays a role in those permitting processes and trying to get those expedited and streamlined.
Megan Hall: It sounds like the more we have to electrify, the more important PUCs are going to become.
Juliana Merullo: Exactly! That’s especially true after the Inflation Reduction Act that was passed last summer. That legislation included billions of dollars in incentives for utilities to build more renewable energy sources.
Janek Schaller: We wanted to find out how that bill affects PUCs, so we talked to Marissa Gillete. She chairs Connecticut’s version of a PUC.
Juliana Merullo: Marissa says her commission wants to make sure utilities are using this new federal funding.
Marissa Gillete: We’ve ordered the utilities to track specific funding opportunities, and report back to us on a regular basis for which ones they apply to the ones they didn’t apply to
Juliana Merullo: Connecticut and Rhode Island are great examples of how PUCs can help us shift to using more renewable energy. But not all PUCs are as active on environmental issues.
Janek Schaller: Just like a lot of climate policy and regulation, the commissions in certain states are blocking action instead of promoting it.
Juliana Merullo: Recently, more people have started to realize how important PUCs are in fighting climate change and they’re trying to change how those agencies work. But that’s a topic for another episode.
Megan Hall: Awesome, thanks Juliana and Janek!
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Possibly is a co-production of The Public’s Radio, Brown University’s Institute for Environment and Society, and Brown’s Climate Solutions Initiative.
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