Utility Accounting & Rates Specialists

Here are separate learning paths that provide new accounting professionals with introductory and intermediate courses on electric co-op (RUS) or utility (FERC) accounting.

Courses included in the RUS learning path!

• Introduction to the Electric Industry
• RUS Accounting 101
• RUS Construction Accounting
• Electric Rates 101 - The Revenue Requirement
• Electric Rates 101 - Cost of Service and Rate Design
• How to Read and Analyze Financial Statements
• Using Key Performance Indicators
• Managing Patronage Capital and Cash Reserves

Courses included in the FERC learning path!

• Introduction to the Electric Industry
• FERC Accounting 101
• FERC Construction Accounting Standards
• Electric Rates 101 - The Revenue Requirement
• Electric Rates 101 - Cost of Service and Rate Design
• How to Read and Analyze Financial Statements
• Using Key Performance Indicators

Get a firm foundation in electric co-op or utility accounting that you can use in your everyday work and build on for the future!

This learning path provides new electric industry accounting professionals with an overview of the financial and accounting areas of a utility, including FERC accounting standards. 

Courses included in this learning path!

• Introduction to the Electric Industry
• FERC Accounting 101
• FERC Construction Accounting Standards
• Electric Rates 101 - The Revenue Requirement
• Electric Rates 101 - Cost of Service and Rate Design
• How to Read and Analyze Financial Statements
• Using Key Performance Indicators

Get a firm foundation in electric utility and FERC accounting that you can use in your everyday work and build on for the future!

This learning path provides experienced accounting professionals with advanced topics in accounting, rates, and financial reporting.

Courses included in this learning path!

• Developing Electric Rates
• Advanced Construction Accounting
• Regulatory Accounting Using ASC 980/GASB 62 - 1 - Implementing and Common Uses
• Regulatory Accounting Using ASC 980/GASB 62 - 2 - Advanced Uses and Discontinuing
• ESG Accounting
• Allocating Interdepartmental Costs
• ASC 360 - Impairment Accounting
• GASB 42 - Impairment Accounting

These advanced courses will provide background information to use to navigate the changing industry and record some of those "difficult" transactions.

This learning path provides Board, Commission, and Council members with insights into financial reporting and utility rates.

Courses included in this learning path!

• Introduction to the Electric Industry
• Electric Rates 101 - Revenue Requirement
• Electric Rates 101 - Cost of Service and Rate Design
• How to Read and Analyze Financial Statements
• Using Key Performance Indicators
• Strategies for Managing Patronage Capital and Cash Reserves

These classes give insights on where to focus your attention in reports to make informed approvals and decisions.

This learning path provides details on best-practices in electric construction accounting.

Courses included in this learning path!

• Step 1 | Standard Units
• Step 2 | Construction Overheads
• Step 3 | Classifying Projects
• Step 4 | Fixed Asset Accounting
• Advanced Construction Accounting
• Allocating Interdepartmental Costs
• Asset Impairments and Decommissioning Costs
• ASC 360 - Impairment Accounting
• GASB 42 - Impairment Accounting

Applying best practices in construction accounting will lead to better cost of service and rate design studies, and more accurate financial statements.

For a broad range of classes in accounting, rates, and business strategy, an All-Access Annual or 3-Month Membership or Group Pricing may be the perfect fit for your professional development needs.

An All-Access Membership includes:

    •    Unlimited access to 30+ expert-led courses and materials

    •    Over 30 continuing education credits, certified by the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA)

    •    Downloadable spreadsheets, templates, and tools you can use immediately

    •    New content added regularly

    •    On-demand access from desktop, tablet, or mobile app

    •    Auto-renews with easy cancellation anytime

    •    Continued access through the end of your membership period, even after cancellation

We’re continuously expanding our course library with practical, example-driven content rooted in real-world best practices—so your learning evolves as the industry does.

We offer on-demand courses and learning paths tailored to your cooperative or utility. The group courses are offered at discounted rates.

Business training

We provide classes for team members in operations, accounting, finance, and management.  Courses and learning paths include short and longer courses in:

• FERC and RUS accounting fundamentals
• FERC and RUS construction accounting standards
• Course paths for new Board members and employees on industry accounting, finance, and rates
• Developing cost of service studies and designing customer rates
• Reading and analyzing financial statements
• Managing operations and finances with key performance indicators
• Using regulatory accounting to manage rate recovery

Our services include bulk enrolling your team, monitoring their progress (or providing group monitoring to your team’s training manager).

Contact us for a discussion on how we can structure a grouping of courses that meet your team’s learning objectives. 

The Resource Library includes over 40 on-demand courses, free downloads, and free videos.

The library includes:

• Individual courses with materials for download.
• Learning paths of bundled courses focused on specific learning paths and experience levels.
• Free spreadsheet downloads that are ready to use.  Spreadsheets are designed to save time and can be tailored to your organization.
• Free videos on implementing recent accounting standards (FASB and GASB) and productivity topics.

Seeking information on a specific topic or an industry best-practice? See what the Resource Library has to offer.