Research program · Methodology published

State Utility Regulatory Activity Report 2026

A primary-source account of the people, proceedings, and commission actions shaping U.S. utility regulation in 2026. This page publishes the research specification before the findings so every eventual metric can be audited.

Methodology updated August 7, 2026 · Findings will be released only after source validation.

Official sources first

Commission dockets, orders, notices, official biographies, and appointing-authority records.

Definitions before counts

Every module has inclusion rules and minimum fields before aggregation begins.

No invented precision

No duration, intervenor, impact, or comparative statistic without defensible structured evidence.

Research scope

Seven modules, each with an auditable publication rule

The report will not treat every docket entry as an equivalent event or use raw activity as a proxy for regulatory risk. Records will be normalized, deduplicated, and tied to their official source. Proposed, recommended, settled, ordered, reheard, and implemented outcomes will remain distinct.

1

Commissioner turnover and appointments

Which state commissions experienced a confirmed change in membership during 2026?

Minimum fields

  • • Commission
  • • Commissioner
  • • Event type
  • • Effective date
  • • Predecessor/successor where confirmed
  • • Official source URL
  • • Verified date

Primary sources

  • • Official commission biographies and announcements
  • • Governor or appointing-authority announcements
  • • Official confirmation records where applicable

Publication rule

Count a change only when the person, commission, event, and effective date are supported by an official source.

2

Major proceedings and rate cases

Which proceedings were materially active, filed, decided, settled, or carried into implementation during 2026?

Minimum fields

  • • Commission
  • • Docket number
  • • Case type
  • • Utility/applicant
  • • Filed date
  • • 2026 event
  • • Current status
  • • Official docket URL

Primary sources

  • • Official commission docket systems
  • • Commission orders and notices
  • • Official utility filings when linked to the commission record

Publication rule

Do not infer filing, status, amount, or decision from secondary reporting when the official docket is available.

3

Large-load and data-center activity

Where did commissions formally address large-load interconnection, tariffs, cost allocation, or data-center demand?

Minimum fields

  • • Commission
  • • Docket
  • • Proceeding type
  • • Large-load issue
  • • Utility
  • • Material filing/order date
  • • Outcome/status
  • • Primary source

Primary sources

  • • Commission dockets and orders
  • • Commission workshops and agendas
  • • Filed tariffs and testimony

Publication rule

Include only formal commission activity; distinguish proposed tariffs, staff recommendations, settlements, and final orders.

4

Affordability and customer-impact proceedings

Where did affordability, arrearage, disconnection, low-income programs, or rate-design impacts become a formal commission issue?

Minimum fields

  • • Commission
  • • Docket
  • • Issue category
  • • Customer population
  • • Material action
  • • Date
  • • Status
  • • Primary source

Primary sources

  • • Commission proceedings and orders
  • • Official consumer-advocate filings
  • • Commission reports and workshops

Publication rule

Do not aggregate populations or impacts unless definitions are consistent and source data supports comparison.

5

Utility mergers and acquisitions

Which utility transactions required commission review or produced material commission action during 2026?

Minimum fields

  • • Commission
  • • Docket
  • • Buyer
  • • Target
  • • Transaction type
  • • Milestone date
  • • Status/outcome
  • • Conditions where ordered
  • • Primary source

Primary sources

  • • Commission applications, notices, and orders
  • • Official company transaction announcements cross-checked to dockets

Publication rule

Separate announced, filed, approved, conditioned, withdrawn, and closed transactions.

6

Notable commission orders

Which 2026 orders created material operational, financial, policy, or precedential consequences?

Minimum fields

  • • Commission
  • • Docket
  • • Order date
  • • Issue
  • • Holding
  • • Operational implication
  • • Source passage/page
  • • Primary source URL

Primary sources

  • • Final, interim, rehearing, and compliance orders issued by commissions

Publication rule

Every characterization must link to the order and identify the passage supporting the interpretation.

7

Geographic regulatory activity

How was defensible activity distributed across commissions and regions?

Minimum fields

  • • Commission
  • • State
  • • Event category
  • • Event date
  • • Docket where applicable
  • • Source

Primary sources

  • • Validated records from the modules above

Publication rule

Map only normalized, deduplicated events; disclose that activity count is not a measure of regulatory risk or quality.

Follow the evidence while the report is built.

RegulatorIndex organizes U.S. public utility commission intelligence. StatecraftCRM turns regulatory movement into stakeholder ownership, commitments, briefings, and institutional memory.

Explore RegulatorIndex Regulatory Operations library →