Hot Topic Hotline

FRI’s Hot Topic Hotline webinar series addresses a variety of timely topics identified by members of the FRI Advisory Board. HTH webinars provide a forum for industry, regulatory and consumer perspectives and interaction around the issues addressed.

“Affordable Utilities: What does it mean and what does it look like?”

Friday, April 10, 2026 
Noon – 1:00pm Central

Register Now!

Aging infrastructure, increased storms, load growth, and heightened public attention on rising utility costs require attention.  Many regulators, utilities, and consumer advocates are talking about affordability as the key issue in 2026.  There are an increasing number of public utility commission dockets on affordability, pending bills or executive actions targeting ratemaking, and evolving expectations for spending discipline.  What does affordability mean in the utility context?  What are reasonable customer expectations given the reinvestment needs of electric, gas, and water utilities?  Join us to learn from experts on the latest trends in utility rates, different definitions of affordability, and how to take steps toward more affordable utility rates.

Check out our previous Hot Topic Hotline webinars on the FRI-MIZZOU YouTube channel. Be sure to subscribe for updates on future postings.

• “Hot Topic Hotline: Monetary Policy, Interest Rates, and Utility Capital Financing,” October 16, 2025
  Moderator: Dr. Michael Sykuta, Executive Director of FRI
  Panelists: Dr. Mark Jensen, VP and Sr. Economics, Federal Research Bank of Atlanta; Nicholas Campanella, Sr. Equity Research Analyst, Barclay’s; Richard “Ricky” Traub, VP and Fixed Income Analyst, Nippon Life Global Investors, Americas
• “FERC 1920: Opportunities and Challenges,” August 15, 2024
  Moderator: Chair Kim David, Oklahoma Corporation Commission
  Panelists: Karin Hrazfeld, Senior Transmission Counsel to FERC Chair WIllie Phillips; Commissioner Andrew French, Kansas Corporation Commission; Purvi Patel, Senior VP of Strategy and Regulatory, ITC Holdings; David Springe, Executive Director, NASUCA
• “Dealing with Lead & Copper Service Line Replacements,” April 22, 2024
  Moderator: Karen Stachowski, TN Attorney General Office, Consumer Advocate Division
  Panelists: Commissioner Michael Bange, New Jersey Board of Public Utilities; Chris Crockett, Essential Utilities, Inc.; Matthew Prine, Indiana American Water
• “Harmonizing Electricity & Natural Gas Systems,” December 13, 2023
  Moderator: Joseph Accardo, Jr., PSEG
  Panelists: Commissioner Pat O’Connell, New Mexico Public Regulatory Commission; Kristin Munsch, ComEd/Exelon; Darryl Lawrence, Pennsylvania Office of Consumer Advocate; Matthew Agen, American Gas Association
• “Resource Adequacy Planning & Resilience,” October 5, 2023
  Moderator: C. Patrick Woods, ITC Great Plains
  Panelists: Commissioner Julie Fedorchak, North Dakota PSC; Marie Berninger, ConEdison Transmission; Mile Keogh, National Association of Clean Air Agencies; Matthew Rice, CenterPoint Energy
• “Monetary Policy, Inflation, and Interest Rates: 2023 Update,” July 31, 2023
  Moderator: Dr. Michael Sykuta
  Panelists: Dr. Karlye Dilts Stedman, Kansas City Federal Reserve Bank; Commissioner Kim Drexler, Delaware PSC; Steve Kihm, Wisconsin CUB; Darrin Ives, Evergy
• “Water and Wastewater System Acquisitions: Issues and Challenges for Protecting and Enhancing Service Without Getting Soaked,” June 22, 2023
  Moderator: Dr. Michael Sykuta
  Panelists: David Veleta, Commissioner, Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission; Christine Maloni Hoover, PA Office of Consumer Advocate; Gary Prettyman, Veolia North America
• “Inflation, Monetary Policy, and Interest Rates,” December 1, 2022
  Moderator: Dr. Michael Sykuta
  Panelists: Dr. William Emmons, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis; Dr. Talina Mathews, Big Rivers Electric Corp.; Ted Thomas, Energize Strategies; David Springe, National Association of State Utility Consumer Advocates
• “Decarbonizing the Natural Gas System,” July 14, 2022
  Moderator: Dr. Michael Sykuta
  Panelists: Daniel Lapato, American Gas Association; Paul Kjellander, KJELL, LLC; Chris Barbacz, Mississippi PUC; Mark LeBel, Regulatory Assistance Project; Chris Peterson, HeschBlackwell
• “Prudent and Efficient: A Discussion of Optimal Transmission Planning and Development for 2022 and Beyond” – A 2-Part Series
  • Panel 1: “Regional and inter-regional planning in RTO footprints in light of the IIJA”, February 28, 2022
    Moderator: Andrew French, Commissioner, Kansas Corporate Commission
    Panelists: Antoine Lucas, VP of Engineering, Southwest Power Pool; Aubrey Johnson, Executive Director Planning & Competitive Transmission, MISO
  • Panel 2: “Emerging policy issues related to transmission planning and development“, March 9, 2022
    Moderator: Sarah Freeman, Commissioner, Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission
    Panelists: Cliff Rechtschaffen, Commissioner, California PUC; Krista Tanner, Sr. VP and Chief Business Unit Officer, ITC Holdings; Jennifer Easler, Consumer Advocate, State of Iowa

• “Utility Commercialization of Fiber and Other Communication Assets,” October 15, 2021
  Moderator: Elin Katz, VP of Utilities, Tilson
  Panelists: John Smola, Alabama Power; Josh Broder, Tilson; Brandon Presley, Commissioner, Mississippi PSC
• “Arrearage Management Plans and Other Tools Being Considered to Deal with Consumer Debt post-COVID“, July 22, 2021
  Moderator: Clifford Rechtschaffen, Commissioner, California PUC
  Panelists: Michelle Scala, Oregon PUC; Kim Rikalo, Sacramento Municipal Utility District; Olivia Wein, National Consumer Law Center
• “Reliability and Resiliency,” April 28, 2021
  Moderator: Chris Ayers, North Carolina Utilities Commission Public Staff
  Panelists: Mark Bracken, Mobiltex; John Marciszewski, SmartCover Systems; Paul Suskie, Southwest Power Pool; Brad Johnson, Montana PSC