CT Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA)

OPEN TO RETURNING YALE GRADUATE/PROFESSIONAL SCHOOL AND RETURNING UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS

About CT PURA:

The Connecticut Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) is statutorily charged with ensuring that Connecticut's investor-owned utilities, including the state’s electric, natural gas, water, and telecommunications companies, provide safe, clean, reliable, and affordable utility service and infrastructure. PURA has also been charged by the Connecticut General Assembly in Public Act 20-5 with the development and adoption of a framework for implementing performance-based regulation (PBR) for both regulated electric distribution companies in Connecticut (United Illuminating and Eversource Energy).

The Clean and Affordable Energy (CAE) unit is tasked with oversight of the statutory and public policy programs that seek to increase the deployment of clean energy and improve customer affordability. Further, CAE staff support the ongoing efforts of the Equitable Modern Grid (EMG) Framework to enhance customer access to clean and affordable service, in support of the state’s climate and renewable energy goals.

The opportunity:

PURA is looking for a summer intern to assist in evaluating Connecticut’s clean energy programs and the performance of United Illuminating and Eversource Energy from an equity lens. Specifically, the intern will be asked to evaluate: (1) if and how the clean energy programs and/or utility service(s) could be improved to provide more equitable participation and outcomes; (2) how such programs and/or services can or should be made to be more consistent in its equity provisions (e.g., how eligibility requirements for income- or customer-specific adders can or should be modified); and (3) how the customer experience could be improved to better enable participation or improved services for underserved and/or under-represented customers and communities.

The intern will report to PURA’s Supervisor of Strategy and Operations, Julia Dumaine, but will work with other PURA staff from the CAE unit on the state’s clean energy programs.  The intern may also work with PURA staff within the Utility Performance and Analysis (UPA) unit on the next phase of PURA’s current PBR work and potentially with other agencies and organizations with energy equity experience and expertise.

Ideal candidates would have experience or demonstrated interest in energy and/or environmental justice, an academic background in economics, finance, public policy, political science, or related fields, and experience preparing written reports.

Location:

This will be a hybrid internship with one day per week (Monday) working out of PURA’s offices in New Britain, and the rest of the week working remotely. (The intern will have a workspace and access to computer/internet resources while on-site in New Britain.) 

How to apply:

Please submit:

• your resume
• a cover letter (no more than 2 pages) to include:
  • your interest in this project
  • any relevant background/experience
  • why you believe this work is important
  • share any important identity or identities you hold. Note that this is completely optional. Examples of identities that may be important to you might include (but are not limited to): gender, race, ethnicity, political affiliation, generation, education level, cultural identity, occupation, sexuality, family structure, housing status, mental health (health status/ability), incarceration status, institution affiliation, primary language, religion, immigration status, medical history, first-generation, income/ socio-economic class, quality of education, occupation, and/or parent's education.

Please email the above directly to Ms. Laura Lupoli at PURA at Laura.Lupoli@ct.gov with “CBEY Planetary Solutions Internship Program in Clean Energy” in the subject line. Please also copy cbey@yale.edu. Application deadline is 11:59 PM ET on March 27th.