Several Positions of US Utility Control Officials are on the Ballot
The outcome of America’s renewable energy ambitions may hinge on the outcome of the November 2024 elections. While it may seem that a Kamala Harris presidency would advance the current administration’s efforts to advance green energy in the country, whoever clinches several hundred key local positions may have just as much sway.
These often overlooked utility control officials control the country’s power grid, making them an integral cog in America’s climate action. The U.S. can generate as much clean energy as possible, but it will be useless if the grid isn’t ready and willing to handle the additional load. Major upgrades will be also needed to ensure the grid can deal with the surge in demand caused by electrification in the vehicle sector.
Whoever holds these couple hundred positions could determine how fast these upgrades are carried out, or whether they occur at all. The U.S. currently has a backlog of at least 2,600 GW worth of green energy, over two times its current generating capacity, waiting to be connected to the grid. With more green energy projects coming online, this backlog is sure to grow over the next couple of years, especially if grid utility officials who don’t prioritize modernizing the country’s grid emerge victorious.
American electricity demand has increased significantly in recent years, particularly due to data centers and the recent adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) technology, and is poised to surge even higher through the rest of the decade. The sheer size of the country’s electricity grid means around 200 regulators on different state utility commissions will have to collaborate to ensure the grid is adequately prepared to deal with the challenges that surely lie ahead.
These commissioners will be responsible for denying or approving expenditures for utility companies as well as the rates customers pay to utilities, making them the primary intermediaries between utilities and the federal government. If the officials don’t require state-level utilities to build green energy infrastructure, the federal government’s subsidies and incentives will be ineffective.
While most of these officials are usually appointed by governors, 10 states allow voters to select utility regulators. Coincidentally, 8 of these 10 states are choosing at least one utility regulator during the November 5 elections. These states are Alabama, Arizona, Louisiana, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, and South Dakota.
In Arizona, the previous utility regulatory committee was pro-fossil fuel and approved new gas plant constructions while implementing new fees and rate hikes for rooftop solar installations. Such could be America’s future, at least for the next four years, if state regulatory committees don’t focus on modernization and focus on adopting clean energy.
Hopefully, the officials who are elected will champion enabling policies which will allow entities like First Tellurium Corp. (CSE: FTEL) (OTCQB: FSTTF) to make a significant contribution to the energy transition the best way they can.
NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to First Tellurium Corp. (CSE: FTEL) (OTCQB: FSTTF) are available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/FSTTF
Please see full terms of use and disclaimers on the GreenEnergyStocks website applicable to all content provided by GES, wherever published or re-published: https://www.greennrgstocks.com/Disclaimer
The outcome of America’s renewable energy ambitions may hinge on the outcome of the November 2024 elections. While it may seem that a Kamala Harris presidency would advance the current administration’s efforts to advance green energy in the country, whoever clinches several hundred key local positions may have just as much sway.
These often overlooked utility control officials control the country’s power grid, making them an integral cog in America’s climate action. The U.S. can generate as much clean energy as possible, but it will be useless if the grid isn’t ready and willing to handle the additional load. Major upgrades will be also needed to ensure the grid can deal with the surge in demand caused by electrification in the vehicle sector.
Whoever holds these couple hundred positions could determine how fast these upgrades are carried out, or whether they occur at all. The U.S. currently has a backlog of at least 2,600 GW worth of green energy, over two times its current generating capacity, waiting to be connected to the grid. With more green energy projects coming online, this backlog is sure to grow over the next couple of years, especially if grid utility officials who don’t prioritize modernizing the country’s grid emerge victorious.
American electricity demand has increased significantly in recent years, particularly due to data centers and the recent adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) technology, and is poised to surge even higher through the rest of the decade. The sheer size of the country’s electricity grid means around 200 regulators on different state utility commissions will have to collaborate to ensure the grid is adequately prepared to deal with the challenges that surely lie ahead.
These commissioners will be responsible for denying or approving expenditures for utility companies as well as the rates customers pay to utilities, making them the primary intermediaries between utilities and the federal government. If the officials don’t require state-level utilities to build green energy infrastructure, the federal government’s subsidies and incentives will be ineffective.
While most of these officials are usually appointed by governors, 10 states allow voters to select utility regulators. Coincidentally, 8 of these 10 states are choosing at least one utility regulator during the November 5 elections. These states are Alabama, Arizona, Louisiana, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, and South Dakota.
In Arizona, the previous utility regulatory committee was pro-fossil fuel and approved new gas plant constructions while implementing new fees and rate hikes for rooftop solar installations. Such could be America’s future, at least for the next four years, if state regulatory committees don’t focus on modernization and focus on adopting clean energy.
Hopefully, the officials who are elected will champion enabling policies which will allow entities like First Tellurium Corp. (CSE: FTEL) (OTCQB: FSTTF) to make a significant contribution to the energy transition the best way they can.
NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to First Tellurium Corp. (CSE: FTEL) (OTCQB: FSTTF) are available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/FSTTF
Please see full terms of use and disclaimers on the GreenEnergyStocks website applicable to all content provided by GES, wherever published or re-published: https://www.greennrgstocks.com/Disclaimer
