Electric utilities should seek out the role of providing “common infrastructure” for telecommunications services, some of which utilities need themselves. If they do so, in cooperation with cable and/or telephone companies, the public and utilities would

Performance-based ratemaking is increasingly being considered an alternative to traditional regulation within a more competitive electricity industry. If designed well, PBR can provide better financial incentives than exist today. But regulators should carefully design PBR mechanisms that incorporate long-term public policy objectives as well as short-term profit incentives.