Navigating the intersection of engineering and policy: My summer at the CPUC

Shambhavi Rathore (she/her)
Hometown: Delhi, India
Major: MS Environmental Engineering, '25
Internship: California Public Utilities Commission

Shultz fellow Shambhavi Rathore delves into the challenges of decarbonization and equity in California’s energy sector at the CPUC

This summer, as a Shultz Energy Fellow at the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), I have been on an extraordinary journey of learning and discovery. Coming from a technical background in environmental engineering, I was eager to explore the public policy side of the energy transition, and CPUC provided the perfect environment for this exploration.

My project at CPUC is centered around the Long-Term Gas Planning Proceeding. The proceeding focuses on strategic plans for the decommissioning and decarbonization of California’s natural gas infrastructure, a key component of the state’s ambitious climate goals. I have been engaged in extensive literature review and research into how different jurisdictions are integrating gas infrastructure investments, rate recovery, equity, and affordability into gas system decommissioning and decarbonization planning. I’ve also been conducting an analysis of the similarities and differences between these varied approaches and California’s gas system planning. This analysis may prove to be crucial in guiding CPUC’s policies as California moves towards a clean energy future.