2019 Stanford Energy Internships in California and the West: California Public Utilities Commission, Office of Commissioner Liane M. Randolph
State- and city-level efforts are essential in our fight against climate change, especially in the field of energy. Stanford University is committed to helping by integrating its best students into the local energy and climate ecosystem through Stanford Energy Internships in California and the West (SEICW), an energy-related summer internship program. This position is funded; you will be 1 of 2 Stanford students placed at the CPUC. You will be with the office of Commissioner Liane M. Randolph in San Francisco; the other intern will be with the office of Commissioner Clifford Rechtschaffen in San Francisco.
The program runs from Monday, June 24, 2019 to Friday, August 30, 2019.
Organization/Agency mission or role in state government:
The CPUC regulates privately owned electric, natural gas, telecommunications, water, railroad, rail transit, and passenger transportation companies, in addition to authorizing video franchises. Our five Governor-appointed Commissioners, as well as our staff, are dedicated to ensuring that consumers have safe, reliable utility service at reasonable rates, protecting against fraud, and promoting the health of California's economy.
Assignment:
A Stanford Energy Intern working with the Office of Commissioner Liane M. Randolph at the California Public Utilities Commission will have the opportunity to work on projects germane to two of our office’s portfolio of proceedings.
The first proceeding, the Integrated Resource Plan, involves long-term energy resource planning that achieves California’s greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets. A project related to this proceeding is likely to include analysis on how to ensure that portfolios from California’s entities that serve load include a variety of resources to provide electricity reliability while also reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The intern could choose to emphasize areas like disadvantaged communities or renewables integration.
The second proceeding relates to transportation network companies such as Uber and Lyft and their connection to California’s energy grid. Legislation just signed by the Governor has mandated that the CPUC, in conjunction with the Air Resources Board, commence a proceeding that will advance the goal of electrifying ride-for-hire fleets. Areas of research might include innovative policy levers and data tracking and analysis.
We will work with the intern to develop one or two specific research projects that are of interest to the intern, can build upon the intern’s skills, and are usable within one or both of these two proceedings.
Potential Mentors:
- Commissioner Liane M. Randolph
- Rachel Peterson, Chief of Staff
- Strong research skills
- Writing and public speaking skills are highly desired
- All SEICW students must be enrolled in the spring quarter before their SEICW internship. Absolutely no exceptions are made to this rule.
- All SEICW students must take a one-unit workshop spring course, 'Energy Policy in California and the West' taught by Bruce Cain, Sally Benson, and Isaac Sevier that will provide an in-depth analysis of the role of California state agencies, the Western Interstate Energy Board, and the Western Electricity Coordinating Council in driving energy policy development, technology innovation, and market structures. Course number is CEE 263G / POLISCI 73 / PUBLPOL 73. This course must be taken in person.
Please note that this opportunity is for graduate students. Interested undergraduates can apply for other SEICW opportunities via SIG.
