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The policy brief advocates for 'clean repowering'—the strategy of siting new renewable energy projects at existing or retiring fossil fuel plant interconnection points—to reduce interconnection times from nearly five years to less than one year. RMI's analysis indicates this approach could enable 250 GW of new renewable energy without transmission upgrades, resulting in average national savings of $12.7 billion annually from 2025 to 2035. The brief highlights the role of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and the Energy Infrastructure Reinvestment (EIR) program in making these projects financially viable and provides specific recommendations for regulators to ensure these savings reach customers through integrated resource planning and oversight.

The briefing argues that insufficient transmission capacity is a major bottleneck for US decarbonization, with new capacity seeking interconnection consisting of 95 percent zero-carbon resources in 2022. It identifies grid-enhancing technologies (GETs) as cost-effective, rapid-deployment solutions that optimize existing transmission, but notes that utility adoption is hindered by risk aversion and regulatory incentives that reward capital expenditures over operational efficiencies. To overcome this, the document outlines four strategies for Public Utility Commissions (PUCs): building knowledge through investigative proceedings, mandating the consideration of GETs in planning processes, implementing performance incentive mechanisms or totex ratemaking, and engaging in Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) proceedings.

The report identifies a systemic failure in how US utilities handle fuel costs, noting that fuel adjustment clauses pass 100% of costs to customers, removing any incentive for utilities to be efficient. To address this, the author proposes six regulatory interventions: fuel-cost sharing, removal of fuel-cost true-ups, fuel-risk reduction tariffs, improved planning and procurement, increased information access for regulators, and the implementation of efficiency ratios to reward performance.

The Canadian Climate Institute suggests that the federal government use the $25.7 billion Clean Electricity Investment Tax Credit to incentivize provinces to adopt four institutional changes: commissioning independent pathway assessments, updating the mandates of public utilities and regulators to include net-zero goals, developing high-level net-zero energy visions, and participating in inter-provincial information exchange. These conditions are designed to be non-prescriptive, leaving implementation details to the provinces to avoid jurisdictional conflict while providing the clarity and institutional alignment needed for energy system transformation.

The report argues that open-source planning models allow nonutility stakeholders to challenge utility-led resource plans, potentially identifying lower-cost, cleaner energy pathways. Using the GenX tool to analyze the 2021 resource plan from Louisville Gas and Electric and Kentucky Utilities, the authors found opportunities for near-term customer savings. The report recommends that regulators increase data transparency, allow early stakeholder review of assumptions, and reduce cost barriers to modeling tools.

The paper highlights how information disparities—specifically regarding distribution networks and emission rates—hinder the effective policymaking and economic efficiency of distributed energy resource (DER) compensation schemes. It suggests that regulators must implement tailored disclosure mandates and incentives for utilities to overcome these asymmetries.

The report identifies that reaching Canada's 2050 net-zero target requires the electricity share of C&I building heating to rise from less than 15% to at least 75%. It highlights barriers such as cheap natural gas, knowledge gaps in the HVAC workforce, and financing constraints. To address these, the authors propose five catalysts: developing near-term electrification plans, integrating electricity and natural gas regulation, aligning utility planning with net-zero pathways, implementing building performance standards, and leveraging public-private financing to crowd in private investment.

The report identifies a critical gap between current Canadian utility planning and the electricity supply needed for net-zero, suggesting that consumption must at least double by 2050. It proposes five catalysts to accelerate this transition, focusing on three supply-side actions: embedding net-zero mandates into regulator and utility roles, aligning resource planning with decarbonization pathways, and leveraging private and Indigenous capital to fund infrastructure. The document highlights that while Canada has abundant renewable resources, conservative demand forecasting and regulatory frameworks focused solely on low cost and reliability currently hinder the necessary build-out.

The report argues that while Canada has a clean electricity advantage, it faces a significant risk of complacency. It identifies three cross-cutting barriers: a 'plug-or-socket' dilemma between supply and demand, policy uncertainty, and a focus on 'wild card' technologies over 'safe bets' like electrification. To overcome these, the report proposes five catalysts: business-led near-term electrification plans, net-zero mandates for utilities and regulators, alignment of utility planning with net-zero pathways, the implementation of performance standards and ZEV mandates, and the use of innovative public-private-Indigenous financing to crowd in private investment.

The document outlines a strategic framework for Canada to accelerate business electrification to reach net-zero by 2050. It identifies key barriers, such as the 'chicken-and-egg' dilemma between electricity supply and demand, and proposes five catalysts: short-term corporate action plans, integrating net-zero into utility mandates, aligning utility planning with net-zero trajectories, establishing clear performance standards and carbon pricing, and attracting private investment through innovative partnerships.

The statement criticizes the City of Denver for supporting a settlement with Xcel Energy that delays the retirement of the Comanche 3 coal plant until 2035 and allows continued use of fracked gas for at least 40 years. The author contends that this agreement contradicts Denver's goal of 100% renewable electricity by 2030 and harms vulnerable Latino communities in Pueblo and North Denver who suffer from pollution-related health issues.

The report argues that current utility regulation is incompatible with an all-electric future and proposes ten strategies to decarbonize US buildings. It emphasizes electrification via heat pumps as the primary solution, warning that alternative fuels like biomethane are costly and limited in scale. Key recommendations include reforming electricity rate designs, updating energy efficiency standards to account for total emissions, and proactively managing the retirement of gas infrastructure to avoid stranded asset risks and inequitable cost burdens on low-income customers.

The guide advises utility regulators to avoid postponing key climate and energy proceedings during the COVID-19 pandemic by adopting virtual engagement tools and prioritizing high-impact projects. It emphasizes that maintaining momentum on emissions reductions and utility business model reforms is critical to limiting global warming to 1.5°C and stimulating economic recovery through the clean energy sector.

Following 2019 legislation to decarbonize Colorado's electricity sector, the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) must investigate whether transitioning to performance-based regulation (PBR) is 'net beneficial'. The briefing suggests that the PUC should utilize scenario analysis and collaborative stakeholder processes, drawing on examples from Hawaii, Minnesota, and Oregon to align utility incentives with goals such as emissions reductions and cost-efficiency.

The briefing outlines how electric vehicles can serve as flexible grid resources through controlled charging (V1G) and bidirectional energy flow (V2G) to improve grid efficiency and reliability. It identifies key barriers to adoption, including unclear utility roles in some states, regulatory structures that favor capacity building over grid optimization, and high start-up costs for fleet owners. The document proposes collaborative models where utilities provide infrastructure support and innovative rate designs, while customers provide data and real estate, to maximize carbon reductions and lower costs for ratepayers.

The report explores how large utility customers, including cities and corporations, can achieve high renewable energy goals through various procurement models. It details options such as green tariffs, sleeved PPAs, and community solar, while addressing the critical role of Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) in accounting and disclosure. The document emphasizes the need for collaboration between utilities, customers, and regulators to ensure that the transition to carbon-free energy is cost-effective, avoids cross-subsidization of non-participants, and maintains grid reliability.

The document explores the integration of customer clean energy demand into utility planning, focusing on the role of Integrated Resource Plans (IRPs) in the US. It argues that early collaboration between utilities and customers can lead to more efficient clean energy procurement, faster decarbonization, and lower costs. The report details the IRP process, identifies barriers to customer engagement—such as limited resources and lack of transparency—and provides pathways for involvement through direct engagement, stakeholder forums, and regulatory proceedings.

The document outlines a framework for transitioning from uneconomic fossil fuel power plants to cheaper clean energy, specifically addressing the financial challenges faced by regulated utilities. It highlights the need for regulatory adaptation because utilities may attempt to keep uneconomic plants operational to maintain rates of return. The briefing introduces four specific areas of focus: analyzing the financial impact of transitioning from fossil to clean energy (using Colorado as a case study), the 'steel for fuel' concept where capital is reinvested in renewables to improve shareholder earnings, the role of depreciation accounting in determining asset value during early retirements, and the use of debt-for-equity refinancing to reduce the rate burden on consumers when addressing unrecovered investment balances.

The policy brief examines the "steel for fuel" strategy, where utilities replace fossil fuel plants—which incur pass-through fuel costs with no earnings potential—with wind and solar assets that allow for regulated equity returns. Using Xcel Energy as a primary example, the document explains how this transition can reduce consumer bills through fuel savings while maintaining or increasing shareholder value. It highlights the role of competitive bidding and the balance between utility ownership and independent power producers (IPPs) to ensure the lowest costs for consumers.

The document highlights that top-performing countries in energy access utilize a complementary mix of grids, mini-grids, and stand-alone systems. It identifies utility creditworthiness and high connection costs, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa, as significant barriers to expanding electricity networks.