Rate Case Strategy and Management

February 1, 2023 | Online :: Central Time

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A core competency of public utility management is the management of the rate case process, requiring expertise and experience in regulation as demonstrated in successful rate case outcomes. However, it is recognized that in some instances there may be a significant time lapse between rate case filings. Consequently, during these long periods of inactivity the regulated utility may experience a loss of institutional knowledge at the rate case manager level due to retirements, promotions, or transfers.

This course is designed to be a refresher course for new staff or those who may simply be a bit “out of practice”. Attendees will review and discuss:

• The necessary elements and steps leading up to the filing of a public utility rate case
• The procedural steps and pitfalls during the rate case proceeding
• Significance of approaches to the key issues
• How to assess potential risks
• Real time rate case management considerations.

Special discounted rates apply if you bring your team so register today and take advantage of this valuable one-day training session!

Learning Outcomes

• Identify the key aspects and risks in a rate case filing
• Review the sequence of steps in rate case filing preparation
• Discuss the roles of the utilities and other key rate case participants
• Master techniques in monitoring and assessing successful performance during the rate case
• Identify and anticipate the challenges and concerns from other stakeholder perspectives

Wednesday, February 1, 2023 : Central time

 

Introduction to Public Utility Regulation: A Refresher

• Review of history and principles of public utility regulation
• Why use “Rate-of-Return/Cost-of-Service” as the basis of rates
• Review of principles of electric utility rate design
• Differences in regulation and management functions

Developing the Rate Case Strategy

• Prerequisites for rate case filing
• Management key decisions
  • To initiate
  • To settle
  • To stop
• Identification of utility’s major issues
• Anticipation of regulators and other stakeholder issues

Elements of Planning a Rate Case Strategy

• Establishment of rate case team
• Need for clarity of roles and responsibilities
• Identification and role of Legal Counsel
• Review of previous regulatory proceedings germane to the rate case
• Recognition of resources, reports, staff requirements, and outside witness requirements
• Establishment of rate case budget

Monitoring and Assessing Performance During the Rate Case

• Whose responsibility is this?
• Coordination with counsel of testimony and discovery
• Monitoring case progression
• Preparations for cross examination, rebuttal of company and other witnesses
• Identification of new risks in proceedings
• Public and government relations responses and activity

Assessing Your Rate Case Strategy: Stakeholder Risk Exercises

• Participants identify a significant issue for each two exercises
• Participants select important or influential stakeholders for each issue
• Workshop consisting of mock rate case public hearing with stakeholders presenting their positions on the selected rate case issue
  • Exercise #1
  • Exercise #2

Branko Terzic

The Honorable Branko Terzic’s regulatory experience includes service as a Commissioner on the State of Wisconsin Public Service Commission (WPSC) and as a Commissioner on the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission FERC). His rate case experience also includes serving as the Chairman, President and CEO of a regulated utility and appearing as an expert witness in public utility proceedings.

Branko Terzic is a Nonresident Senior Fellow of the Atlantic Council’s Global Energy Center and Distinguished Fellow at the Council on Competitiveness. As a consultant Terzic served as; Executive Director of the Deloitte Center for Energy Solutions, Managing Director of Arthur Andersen, Group Vice President of AUS Consultants, and special investigations engineer at Wisconsin Electric Power Co.  He was a member of the National Petroleum Council and National Coal Council. Currently a faculty member of the Washington Campus consortium of 16 MBA colleges, a founder of the Society of Depreciation Professionals. Branko Terzic holds a BS in Energy Engineering and was awarded an honorary Doctor of Sciences in Engineering degree, both from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

We will be using Microsoft Teams to facilitate your participation in the upcoming event. You do not need to have an existing Teams account in order to participate in the broadcast – the course will play in your browser and you will have the option of using a microphone to speak with the room and ask questions, or type any questions in via the chat window and our on-site representative will relay your question to the instructor.

• IMPORTANT NOTE: After November 30 you will not be able to join a Teams meeting using Internet Explorer 11. Microsoft recommends downloading and installing the Teams app if possible. You may also use the Edge browser or Chrome.
• You will receive a meeting invitation will include a link to join the meeting.
• Separate meeting invitations will be sent for the morning and afternoon sessions of the course.
  • You will need to join the appropriate meeting at the appropriate time.
• If you are using a microphone, please ensure that it is muted until such time as you need to ask a question.
• The remote meeting connection will be open approximately 30 minutes before the start of the course. We encourage you to connect as early as possible in case you experience any unforeseen problems.

Please Note: This event is being conducted entirely online. All attendees will connect and attend from their computer, one connection per purchase. For details please see our FAQ

If you are unable to attend at the scheduled date and time, we make recordings available to all attendees for 7 days after the event

REGISTER NOW FOR THIS EVENT:

Rate Case Strategy and Management

February 1, 2023 | Online

Your registration may be transferred to a member of your organization up to 24 hours in advance of the event. Cancellations must be received on or before December 30, 2022 in order to be refunded and will be subject to a US $195.00 processing fee per registrant. No refunds will be made after this date. Cancellations received after this date will create a credit of the tuition (less processing fee) good toward any other EUCI event. This credit will be good for six months from the cancellation date. In the event of non-attendance, all registration fees will be forfeited. In case of conference cancellation, EUCIs liability is limited to refund of the event registration fee only. For more information regarding administrative policies, such as complaints and refunds, please contact our offices at 303-770-8800

Credits

EUCI is accredited by the International Accreditors for Continuing Education and Training (IACET) and offers IACET CEUs for its learning events that comply with the ANSI/IACET Continuing Education and Training Standard. IACET is recognized internationally as a standard development organization and accrediting body that promotes quality of continuing education and training.

EUCI is authorized by IACET to offer 0.6 CEUs for this event

Requirements for Successful Completion of Program:

Participants must log in each day, be in attendance for the entirety of the course to be eligible for continuing education credit.

Instructional Methods

PowerPoint presentations, classroom discussion, case studies, group exercises, and a mock hearing exercise will be used in the program.

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Upon successful completion of this event, program participants interested in receiving CPE credits will receive a certificate of completion.

Course CPE Credits: 7.0
There is no prerequisite for this Course.
Program field of study: Specialized Knowledge
Program Level: Basic
Delivery Method: Group Internet Based
Advanced Preparation: None

EUCI is registered with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) as a sponsor of continuing professional education on the National Registry of CPE Sponsors. State boards of accountancy have final authority on the acceptance of individual courses for CPE credit. Complaints regarding registered sponsors may be submitted to the National Registry of CPE Sponsors through its web site: www.nasbaregistry.org

 

Who Should Attend

This course is designed for smaller electric (cooperatives, municipalities, and investor-owned), gas, and water utilities with infrequent rate case activity who need to develop strategy and review tactics for a successful rate case proceeding.

• Rate case managers, supervisors, and coordinators
• Staff legal counsel
• Soon to be rate case managers