Build a complete foundation in utility rate-setting — from electric rate study fundamentals through water pricing strategy and electric vehicle rate design. Practical, applied, and built specifically for utility and cooperative rate professionals.
Rate studies drive nearly every major financial decision at a utility or cooperative — yet most finance and engineering professionals never receive formal training in how rates are actually built. This track closes that gap with three practical, applied courses covering the full spectrum of contemporary rate-setting challenges.
Starting with electric rate study fundamentals — revenue requirements, cost-of-service analysis, and rate design — the track then expands into water pricing strategy and the rapidly growing field of electric vehicle rate design. Real-world examples throughout. No prior rate study experience required for Course 1.
A practical introduction to the electric ratemaking process — how revenue requirements are built, how costs are allocated across customer classes, how rates are designed, and what questions boards and management should ask when reviewing or approving a rate study.
How water utilities and multi-service cooperatives approach pricing — volumetric rates, tiered structures, fixed charges, affordability considerations, and the financial sustainability tradeoffs that shape real-world water rate decisions.
EV adoption is reshaping load profiles and creating new cost-recovery challenges. This course covers how to design EV-specific rates that recover infrastructure costs equitably, encourage off-peak charging, and position your utility competitively as the EV market grows.
"I've been involved in rate studies for years but never had a systematic framework for how revenue requirements actually connect to the rates our customers see. Course 1 filled that gap in a way no consulting engagement ever did."
"Our co-op added water service two years ago and I was flying blind on pricing. The water pricing course gave me the language and framework to have intelligent conversations with our consultant and actually push back when something didn't make sense."
"The EV rates course came at exactly the right time for us. We had a commercial customer asking about fleet charging and no idea how to price it fairly. The course gave us a defensible framework we could take to our board."
Russ Hissom is a nationally recognized expert in utility accounting and ratemaking, with more than 35 years of experience helping electric utilities and cooperatives navigate FERC, RUS, FASB, and GASB accounting standards. As founder of UtilityEducation.com, Russ has built a comprehensive CPE curriculum drawing on decades of hands-on work with regulatory accounting, construction accounting, and rate case support for investor-owned utilities, public power, and electric cooperatives.
No. Course 1 is designed for professionals with a finance or accounting background who have little or no formal rate study training. It builds the foundation from the ground up.
Yes — each course is available individually. The career track bundles all three at a savings and awards a certificate upon completion of the full sequence.
Course 1 focuses on electric utility ratemaking. Course 2 addresses water pricing for utilities and multi-service co-ops. Course 3 covers EV rate design, relevant to any electric utility or co-op.
Yes. Course 1 in particular is designed to help board members ask better questions when reviewing rate studies and understand how rates are justified to regulators and customers.
Yes — 4.0 NASBA CPE hours total across the three courses. Each course awards credits separately upon passing the final exam at 70% or better.
Call 608-628-4020 or email russ.hissom@utilityeducation.com. We're happy to help you.
