Institutions & Governance

The institutions we construct to govern energy can facilitate a rapid and just transition, or constrain it. In the United States, our energy system is governed by a complex web of public and private local, state, regional, and federal institutions.

Kleinman Center researchers seek to understand these complexities by exploring how process and structure relate to outcomes. We investigate utility incentives and practices, regional governance arrangements, cooperation and tension between state and federal energy regulators, public versus private versus cooperative ownership, and the role of public participation in energy governance.

Faculty Leadership

Shelley Welton

Presidential Distinguished Professor

Shelley Welton is Presidential Distinguished Professor of Law and Energy Policy with the Kleinman Center and Penn Carey Law. Her research focuses on how climate change is transforming energy and environmental law and governance.

Recent Journal Article

The North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) oversees the U.S. electric grid’s reliability, but its self-regulation model may be outdated as we shift to clean energy. To support the energy transition and ensure reliability, reforms are needed to increase government oversight and adapt to modern challenges.

Recent Work

Report

The Key to Electric Grid Reliability: Modernizing Governance

The U.S. electric grid is under strain, with extreme weather and blackouts on the rise. Some say the cause is overreliance on renewables like wind and solar. This white paper argues that the primary threat to grid reliability is not the changing energy mix but rather failures in grid governance.

Digest

Wholesale Electricity Justice

Wholesale electricity and justice are not terms often joined together. While it can be difficult to trace the consequences of federal decisions to their localized impacts, it can and should be done. Here are some targeted recommendations.

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Blog