FRI provides several platforms for bringing regulators, industry, consumer advocates, and academic scholars together to discuss various issues facing regulated public utilities and the industries in which they operate.

Annual Public Utility Symposium

The Public Utility Symposium has been FRI’s hallmark program for over 30 years, held annually in autumn on the University of Missouri campus in Columbia. Each year’s theme is determined by FRI’s Advisory Board, and members of the Advisory Board guide the program design and recruit speakers and panel participants. The Symposium addresses issues that are relevant across the range of public utilities. 

The 2024 Public Utility Symposium will be held at the Renaissance St. Louis Airport Hotel in St. Louis, MO, on Wednesday, Sept 18.

Regulated Utilities Leadership Institute

New in 2022, FRI’s Regulated Utilities Leadership Institute is a leadership development program for utility decision-makers and regulators to understand the unique business context of regulated utilities and how they differ from other investor-owned firms from a managerial perspective.  The program is designed for utility decision-makers, even if their responsibilities are not directly related to pricing, rate, and regulatory affairs; and for commission staff who seek a higher-level understanding of the firms they regulate. Registration is limited to ensure interactive and networking opportunities. The 2024 RULI program will be held on the University of Missouri campus June 3-6. Learn more and register here.

Advanced Seminar on Utility Pricing & Rate Design

The Advanced Seminar on Transformational Utility Pricing & Rate Design, held annually in the Spring, focuses on emerging trends and issues related to electric utility pricing. Speakers for these programs include academics and industry consultants as well as public utility, regulatory, and consumer advocate representatives. Because these programs go into more depth and have more active participant interaction, registration for these programs is limited to around 30 participants. The 2024 Advanced Seminar will be held April 30 to May 2 on the University of Missouri campus and will include two tracks; one focused on water and wastewater, the other focused on electricity and natural gas. Learn more and register here.

Hot Topic Hotline Webinars

The Hot Topic Hotline offers a series of one-hour webinars throughout the year. Topics cover a variety of industry and regulatory issues identified by members of the FRI Advisory Board. The number and timing of HTH webinars each year vary depending on Advisory Board interests and schedules. Learn about upcoming Hot Topic Hotlines and find links to previous webinars (as they become available) on the HTH page.