2024 Shultz Energy Fellowships: California Public Utilities Commission, Office of Commissioner Genevieve Shiroma
Regional-, 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 students into energy and climate ecosystems in the West through the Shultz Energy Fellowships program, an energy-related summer fellowship program for undergraduate and graduate students.
Named in honor of former Secretary of State George P. Shultz, one of the most widely admired American public servants of the past half-century, the program offers a suite of paid, energy-related public service fellowships for Stanford students in California, Colorado, Nevada, Utah, and Hawaii during the summer.
The fellowships run from Monday, June 24, 2024 to Friday, August 30, 2024.
Organization/Agency mission or role in state government
California has been a global leader in implementing laws to reduce the causes and impacts of climate change. It also has been a leader in supporting climate research which has forecasted increasing threats and impacts from wildfires in the coming decades.
The California Public Utilities Commission (Commission or CPUC) is one of the most influential regulatory agencies in the state. The CPUC regulates privately owned electric, natural gas, telecommunications, water, railroad, rail transit, and passenger transportation companies, in addition to authorizing video franchises. The five Governor-appointed Commissioners, as well as 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.
As a regulator of the investor-owned utilities (IOUs), the Commission oversees how electricity providers build safe infrastructure, procure renewable resources, and deliver affordable and reliable electric service with a commitment to environmental enhancement and a healthy California economy.
Assignment
A Shultz Energy Fellow working with the Office of Commissioner Shiroma at the CPUC will assist in the developing rules that will apply to the Commission’s Electric Program Investment Charge (EPIC) Program. EPIC is an energy innovation funding program established under the authority of the Commission. With an annual budget of $185 million, EPIC seeks to drive efficient, coordinated investment in new and emerging energy solutions. The program’s guiding principles are to provide benefits to customers with a focus on improving safety, environmental sustainability, and equity while increasing reliability and affordability.
Commissioner Genevieve Shiroma is the lead Commissioner for EPIC, and the program is currently developing and implementing new strategic goals and objectives to enhance transparency, accountability, and equity among the four EPIC Administrators: the California Energy Commission, Pacific Gas and Electric Company, Southern California Edison Company, and San Diego Gas & Electric Company (collectively the “IOUs”). Approximately 80 percent of the total EPIC funding is administered by the CEC, with the remaining 20 percent administered by the IOUs.
California’s ambitious climate and energy goals to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045 include aiming for 100 percent clean electricity retail sales from eligible renewable energy and zero-carbon resources. The work of this proceeding overlaps with the Commission’s Environmental and Social Justice (ESJ) Action Plan, Distributed Energy Resources Action Plan, and the federal government’s Justice40 initiative to increase investments in clean energy resources in disadvantaged or ESJ communities. These communities are predominantly communities of color or low-income, including Tribal lands, underrepresented in the policy setting or decision-making process and subject to a disproportionate impact from one or more environmental hazards.
The Stanford Energy Fellow will conduct research and provide analysis on these matters, as well as provide economic and policy analysis on related proceedings. The Fellow will also have an opportunity to attend public meetings and site visits on a broad range of matters throughout the internship.
The Commission has a telework policy to work remotely from home with occasional travel for meetings.
Potential Mentor
- Cheryl Wynn, Chief of Staff to Commissioner Shiroma
2023 CPUC Fellows
- Jillian Anderson, PhD ’25 Mechanical Engineering, Office of President Alice Reynolds
- Learn more about Jillian's experience at the CPUC:
- Pietro Marconi, MS '24, Office of Commissioner John Reynolds
- Learn more about Pietro's experience at the CPUC:
- Preferred areas of study include Economics, Public Policy and Administration, Law, Government, Political Science, Environmental Science, Engineering.
- Interest in energy policy, air pollution/climate pollution policy, environmental justice policy.
- Experience working directly with and performing outreach in disadvantaged communities.
- Knowledge of state initiatives around renewable energy, GHG reduction, environmental justice, and disadvantaged communities.
- Attention to detail, professional attitude, and ability to maintain confidentiality.
All Shultz fellows must be enrolled in the spring quarter before their fellowship.
All Shultz fellows must take a one-unit spring workshop course, 'Energy Policy in California and the West' taught by Professor Bruce Cain and Visiting Fellow Felicia Marcus 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 / ENERGY 73. Schedule: Wednesdays from 9:30 am - 10:20 am (Spilker 143).
Please note that this opportunity is open to graduate students. Interested undergraduate students can apply via SIG.