Utility regulation debate: Aaronson argues against cutting returns on equity

A former energy-sector official contends that reducing utility profit margins would not meaningfully lower electricity bills while risking grid reliability during the transition to clean energy.

First covered Jul 22, 2026 · 7:27 AM PT · 1 article

Coverage

3h Utility Dive Don’t gut the utility model just as we need it most — Cutting utility returns won't lower electric bills and will leave us a more fragile power grid, writes Scott Aaronson, former secretary of the Electricity…

More coverage from around the web

rmi.org Rebalancing “Return on Equity” to Accelerate an Affordable Clean Energy Future - RMI

sciencedirect.com Rate of return regulation revisited - ScienceDirect

affordability-toolkit.rmi.org Return on Equity Reform - Electricity Affordability Toolkit - RMI

emp.lbl.gov Advancing Equity in Utility Regulation | Energy Markets & Planning

enerdynamics.com How Regulators Determine a Utility’s Return on Equity (ROE) - Enerdynamics

Appeared in: 2026-07-22 (#6)

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