Study on Climate Action and Public Utility Commissions in New England States

Brown University
Project completed March 2023

Brown University’s Climate and Development Lab, Climable.org, and Synapse Energy Economics partnered to conduct a study on climate action and public utilities in each of the New England states. The purpose of the study was to compile the climate actions of the New England utilities, the regulatory structures that the public utility commissions (PUCs) have in place to mitigate climate change and the opportunities and challenges for implementing lasting climate solutions.

The team facilitated conversations in 2022 amongst stakeholders around opportunities and challenges associated with advancing climate action in New England to advance new and innovative recommendations. The background report available below summarizes research about best practices, barriers, and opportunities across New England states.

The final report called Power Play: Actions for New England’s Equitable Energy Transition is available at climable.org/brown. This full report includes a list of actions suggested by stakeholders for addressing barriers and creating equitable and just progress on climate action. A shorter companion guide called Power Play Playbook is meant to serve as a plain-language version that summarizes the actions and is also available at climable.org/brown, along with all the handouts, presentations, and notes from the workshops.