Aggressive utility oversight critical to the clean energy transition

Last week, the Chicago Tribune ran a column I co-authored on the pending decision regarding ComEd’s profits for the next four years. Today, the Chicago Sun Times ran another column I wrote discussing the pending ComEd rate hike from a different angle: wasteful utility spending driving up our rates and utility profits.

The clean energy transition — already underway and set to accelerate in the coming decade — is transforming the way we generate, deliver and use energy. It will take decades and cost a great deal but, done right, will produce larger health, environmental and economic benefits.

For a successful transition, we must spend wisely while maximizing benefits and ensure those benefits predominantly flow to the public. That won’t happen if utilities are allowed to use their incumbent status to spend wastefully and generate excessive profits. Watchdogging the utilities is the crucial task before the five-person Illinois Commerce Commission, recently overhauled by Gov. J.B. Pritzker.

The new commission is off to a strong start.

You can read more here.