FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CCIF Releases New Report on Electricity Demand Growth and Risk Management
BOSTON (July 27, 2025) – The Critical Consumer Issues Forum (CCIF) today released a new report, Demand Growth & Risk Management: Investing in Energy Infrastructure to Meet Customer Needs, during an event collocated with the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC) 2025 Summer Policy Summit in Boston. For 15 years, CCIF has driven collaboration by bringing together representatives from state commission members of NARUC, members of the National Association of State Utility Consumer Advocates (NASUCA), and member electric companies of the Edison Electric Institute (EEI).
Amid intensifying pressures on these three core groups to ensure that all electric customers continue to receive reliable, affordable, and resilient electricity, the latest CCIF report focuses on managing risks in two specific areas—those associated with (i) rapidly increasing electricity demand from data centers and other large loads; and (ii) an array of extreme weather and other catastrophic events. The report addresses these dual challenges by presenting 13 consensus principles, which were developed by participants from the three core groups during a series of collaborative dialogues held this spring.
The first eight principles outline a forward-looking framework aimed at addressing the challenges and opportunities presented by rapidly growing electricity demand, while also ensuring that each state’s unique circumstances and customer classes are both respected and optimally served.
The remaining five principles build on previous CCIF work on grid resilience and focus on managing the risks associated with extreme weather and other catastrophic events like wildfires.
Some notable excerpts include:
- Principle 5: “. . . costs to serve new large load customers must not be shifted to other customer classes over the life of the required investments. . . .”
- Principle 7: “New and existing large loads must not compromise electric system reliability. . . .”
- Principle 13: “. . . the three core groups, state and federal policymakers, and other key stakeholders should collaboratively . . . implement legal frameworks—including liability mitigation protections—to address the associated financial risks that wildfires pose to electric companies and their customers.”
The report is intended to serve as a foundation for additional dialogue and collaboration among the three core groups, as well as with other relevant stakeholders.
“CCIF’s new report demonstrates that NARUC member state commissions continue their long history of managing risks associated with extreme weather and catastrophic events while confronting the risks—and exploring the opportunities—associated with demand growth from data centers and other new large loads,” said NARUC President and Georgia Public Service Commissioner Tricia Pridemore. “State commissions benefit from working collaboratively with consumer advocates, electric companies, customers, other key stakeholders, and officials at all levels of government on these issues to ensure that customers need not worry about such risks negatively impacting their reliable and affordable electric service.”
“The CCIF report captures a number of key points that consumer advocates deem necessary for protecting electricity customers at a time with growing uncertainties related to issues such as demand growth from data centers and other large loads, as well as extreme weather and catastrophic events,” said NASUCA President and Michigan Department of Attorney General Special Litigation Division Chief Michael Moody. “NASUCA members are encouraged that many state regulators and electric companies share our concerns and are willing to work with us to advance solutions that keep reliability and affordability for electric customers top of mind.”
“Across the country, EEI’s member electric companies are making critical investments to meet growing demand and enhance the reliability and resilience of America’s energy grid,” said EEI Vice President of State Engagement and Public Affairs Kristine Esposo Telford. “CCIF’s latest report once again reflects the importance of collaboration among the three core groups and underscores our shared commitment to delivering the innovative energy solutions that help us serve customers reliably and affordably.”
The principles developed during the CCIF dialogues are not intended to represent or override any individual or collective policies or positions of NARUC, NASUCA, EEI, or other participating organizations.
To learn more or to download the new CCIF report, please visit www.CCIForum.com.
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Contact:
Katrina McMurrian, Executive Director
Critical Consumer Issues Forum (CCIF)
Phone: 615.905.1375
— CCIF —