Get to Know Your Public Utility Commission鈥攁nd Pressure It
These are the gatekeepers to the grid reform we need.
This article is part of a special聽series from our聽fall 2019 climate issue聽on how you can level聽up your聽actions against climate change.听Visit聽the full聽Climate Action Guide here.听
All 50 states have some sort of entity that regulates utilities. While largely unknown to the average person, these commissions can have significant sway when it comes to the investments utilities make in the electric grid.
As a climate聽advocate, it's important to understand how your utility works and how you can make your voice heard. First, figure out what type of utility commission you聽have. Your state's official website should have it listed somewhere, but if you can't find it, a聽little Googling will do the trick.听
If your utility is an investor-owned, for-profit company, it鈥檚 regulated by a public utility commission (PUC)聽or public service commission (PSC).听 The commissioners of these boards are typically appointed in various ways, but anyone聽can聽file formal comments with the commission on pending decisions and investments.听Some states also have citizen utility boards lobbying for renewable energy; if your state has one, get involved.听
For the biggest impact, though, hook聽up with a group of knowledgeable activists鈥攁 local chapter of the NAACP or Earthjustice, for example鈥攖hat could use your help in advocating for a cleaner, more equitable system. They'll have a better sense of how to advocate your local commission while also bringing the kind of聽clout that can influence outcomes.听
Now, if you鈥檙e under a municipal utility or an electric co-op, you have a direct voice in its decision making. (Note:聽In many states, the PUC or PSC also regulates, to at least some degree, rural electric co-ops and, in rarer cases, municipal power companiues).听 So become a regular presence at city council or board meetings, and if you can,聽consider running for a board position yourself.听聽