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Building a 21st Century Electric Grid Requires a 21st Century Regulatory System
Thursday, Mar 17, 2011 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] Most agree that Illinois needs to modernize its electric grid to meet the demands of the digital age. Forty-four states ─ and even Guam ─ have some type of Smart Grid investment program in process. But Illinois is stalled. To stay economically competitive, we must catch up. But grid modernization in Illinois is stalled by an outmoded regulatory process that discourages exactly the kind of long-term, comprehensive planning that’s needed to get modernization done. The Energy Infrastructure Modernization Act (HB 14) proposes a better system for setting utility rates. It provides even more transparency and accountability than current regulation with more frequent regulatory review and new performance metrics to keep utilities accountable. Some have suggested that modifying regulatory oversight is synonymous with reducing regulatory oversight. That’s simply not true. HB14 is not about less regulation it’s about smarter regulation. Every resident and business in Illinois will benefit if lawmakers, regulators, utilities and consumer groups can come together over the next few weeks to develop a policy path that drives modernization of our grid, while protecting consumers as strongly as ever.
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