Powering Strong Communities
Virtual Course

Cost of Service and Rate Design

This two-part virtual series will provide a foundational overview of cost of service, from basic concepts to leveraging data for decision making. Review rate trends and strategies from utilities across the nation and hear how others are integrating distributed energy resources and restructuring rates.
August 1 - 8, 2023
11:00am - 4:30pm Eastern
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Learning Environment

This new virtual series — taking place on Zoom — provides the opportunity to interact with instructors and industry peers while earning continuing education credits. This series combines real-time presentation, polling questions, real-world examples, and Q&A sessions.

Series Overview

Learn all about cost of service — from basic concepts to leveraging data for decision making — and get up-to-speed on the best practices in utility rate design. Find out how to determine revenue requirements and key financial targets and relate them to cost of service. Get real-life examples on how to improve your utility’s long-term financial health. Review rate trends and strategies from utilities across the nation and hear how others are integrating distributed energy resources and restructuring rates.

This series of two, in-depth virtual courses, provides foundational training for utility personnel and an opportunity to earn CPE credits for attending live sessions!

Sign up for courses individually or together for a discounted rate:

All events will be recorded and attendees will automatically receive access to the recordings (accessible for 90 days).

Recommended for

General managers, finance and accounting personnel, rate analysts, financial planners, and policymakers.

Course Levels

Course levels range from basic to intermediate. There are no prerequisites, and no advance preparation is required.

Accreditation

Continuing education credits (CEUs, CPEs, and PHDs) will be provided for each session. See individual course pages for details.

Instructors

Mark Beauchamp HeadshotMark Beauchamp, CPA, CMA, MBA, is president of Utility Financial Solutions. He has more than 35 years of experience in electric utility consulting and management. Mark has assisted hundreds of utilities with improvements to accounting and operation practices, risk assessments, cost of service, and competitive rate designs. He is a frequent speaker at industry conferences and teaches a variety of courses for APPA. He holds degrees in water purification technology and accounting, as well as a master’s degree in business.

Dawn LundDawn Lund is the vice president of Utility Financial Solutions, a consulting practice that specializes in financial planning, cost of service, and rate-setting for public power utilities. Dawn has over 25 years of experience in financial analysis for utility systems. She specializes in providing financial assessments, cost of service studies, and financial plans for utilities throughout the country, Canada, Guam, and the Caribbean. She teaches a variety of financial planning courses and regularly speaks at conferences and industry events for APPA and other organizations across the nation.  

Questions? 

Registration

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Registration Fees

Bundled Series (Save 20%) 

Members*
Includes Both Courses $925

Individual Courses

Members*
  • Basic Cost of Service and Key Financial Concepts
 $575
  • Strategic Rate Design: Trends and Distributed Generation Impacts
 $575
*Non-member rates are double the member rate.

Group Discounts

Save money when your organization registers five or more people for the same class or the bundled series. The larger your group, the more you save! Registrations must be submitted on the same order (at the same time) to qualify for the group discount; discounts cannot be retroactively applied to previous orders. 

If you need assistance, contact Registration@PublicPower.org.

Number of registrants

Discount
(per person)

1-4

n/a

5-9

$50

10-14

$100

15-24

$150

25+

$200

Cancellations/No-Show/Refunds/Substitutions

All events will be recorded and attendees will automatically receive a copy of the recordings, in case you can’t attend live.

Registrants who cancel in writing at least seven days before the first day of a course are entitled to a refund of their registration fee, minus a $50 cancellation fee. Registrants who cancel after that will not receive a refund, but attendee substitutions will be allowed for this event only. Registrants and no-shows who do not cancel at least seven days before the course start date are responsible for the full registration fee and are not entitled to a refund. 

Cancellation deadlines: 

  • Cost of Service and Rate Design Series Virtual Series (both classes): Cancellations must be received on/before July 25:
    • Basic Cost of Service and Key Financial Targets: Cancellations must be received on/before July 25
    • Strategic Rate Design: Trends and Distributed Generation Impacts: Cancellations must be received on/before August 1

Cancellation requests should be made through your My.PublicPower portal, or addressed to: Registration@PublicPower.org

Communication

  • 24 hours after registering: You’ll receive a confirmation email within 24 hours of registering, which contains some preliminary information.
  • 24 hours before: 
    • You’ll receive your Zoom login link the day before a course (sent from the APPA Academy’s Zoom account <no-reply@zoom.us>)
    • You’ll also receive a final logistics email 24 hours in advance of a class. 
  • If you don’t receive this correspondence, email EducationInfo@PublicPower.org.

Course Access and Materials

  • Zoom Links: Zoom log in credentials will be sent out 24 hours before the start of the course.
  • Course Materials: Attendees will receive access to APPA’s secure online document portal a day before a course, where the eManual will be made available.
  • Recordings: Courses will be recorded and can be accessed through APPA’s document portal (within a week of the course), in case you can’t attend the live events. Recordings will be accessible for 90 days after the last session. Note: Continuing education credits can only be issued for attending live sessions.

Accreditation

Earn While You Learn!

Participate in virtual programs to earn Continuing Education Units (CEUs), Professional Development Hours (PDHs) and Continuing Professional Education credits (CPEs).

What educational credits are available?

You can earn the following kinds of continuing education credits for attending live sessions—provided the following requirements are met:

Requirements for Successful Completion

  • Attendees are required to attend and participate in 90% of each live session and complete an online evaluation at the end.

  • Partial credit cannot be given for partial attendance
  • Attendance is monitored by an APPA staff member during the event, through an online report log, and upon review of the post-event evaluation data
  • Completion certificates will available within two weeks of the last session in a live event (for those who meet the requirements) through you APPA member portal (access instructions will be provided).
  • Virtual sessions are recorded (attendees automatically receive access to recordings within a week of the last session), though continuing education credits can only be given for attending live events. Recordings will be accessible for 90 days after the last session.

IACET logoContinuing Education Units (CEUs): The American Public Power Association is accredited by the International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET) and is authorized to issue the IACET CEU. For information regarding certification status, attendance requirements and obtaining attendee transcripts, contact EducationInfo@PublicPower.org or 202-467-2965. Verify our IACET Accreditation.

CPE logoContinuing Professional Education (CPE) Credits: The American Public Power Association is registered with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) as a sponsor of continuing professional education on the National Registry of CPE Sponsors. State boards of accountancy have final authority on the acceptance of individual courses for CPE credit. Complaints regarding registered sponsors may be submitted to the National Registry of CPE Sponsors through its website: www.learningmarket.org. Unless noted, there are no prerequisites for the courses offered and no advance preparation is required. Courses are group-internet based offerings at the basic program level (unless otherwise noted). Credit hours and areas of study for the courses are listed on the individual course pages. For more information regarding administrative policies, such as clarification of requirements, complaints, and refunds, please contact EducationInfo@PublicPower.org.

Professional Development Hours (PDHs): The American Public Power Association’s educational practices are consistent with the criteria for awarding Professional Development Hours (PDHs) as established by the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES). Course eligibility and number of PDHs may vary by state.

Additional Information

Format and Log-In Information

These classes will be offered on the Zoom meeting platform. These engaging and practical courses will feature real-time presentation, polling questions, Q&A, and group discussion. 

Communication

  • 24 hours after registering: You’ll receive a confirmation email within 24 hours of registering, which contains some preliminary information.
  • 24 hours before: 
    • You’ll receive your Zoom login link the day before a course (sent from the APPA Academy’s Zoom account <no-reply@zoom.us>)
    • You’ll also receive a final logistics email 24 hours in advance of a class. 
  • If you don’t receive this correspondence, email EducationInfo@PublicPower.org.

Course Access and Materials

  • Zoom Links: Zoom log in credentials will be sent out 24 hours before the start of the course.
  • Course Materials: Attendees will receive access to APPA’s secure online document portal a day before a course, where the eManual will be made available.
  • Recordings: Courses will be recorded and can be accessed through APPA’s document portal (within a week of the course), in case you can’t attend the live events. Recordings will be accessible for 90 days after the last session. Note: Continuing education credits can only be issued for attending live sessions.

New to Zoom?

If you haven't participated in a Zoom meeting before, please download the Zoom web client from the Zoom Download Center. This will enable you to access all of the Zoom tools and functionality vs. using the web version. Then, visit Zoom.us/test to ensure you are able to join a meeting. 

If you are not able to download the Zoom web client, you can still participate via your Internet browser. We recommend using Chrome for the best results. If you use your Internet browser, your functionality may be more limited (for example, you will only be able to see one video feed at a time), and you will need to create a Zoom account. (account creation is a free and straightforward process, but you will want to do this in advance so you do not miss any part of the meeting).

  • Internet access: You will need a strong Internet connection to run the Zoom meeting platform. 
  • Audio and webcam: You will need to enable computer audio to listen and speak (alternatively a call-in number will be provided) and you will need a webcam to fully engage in the small group breakout exercises and discussions.

Privacy and Security

The American Public Power Association takes your privacy and security very seriously. For this reason, we have put the following security measures in place for this course:

  • A random Meeting ID
  • Password-protected
  • Enabled waiting room to screen meeting participants
  • Restricted screen sharing to hosts only

Code of Conduct

Participants agree to abide by the APPA Code of Conduct. If participants engage in unacceptable behavior as outlined in the code, the Association may take any action it deems appropriate, including but not limited to, expulsion from the current and future meetings, with no warning or refund.

Questions?