Summary of Experience
Mr. Yardley has been an advisor to private and public organizations in the energy industry on regulatory, public policy, and strategic issues for 35 years. During that time, he served as the Chairman of the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities for two years and has been active in public policy matters as a speaker, facilitator, and expert witness. As the DPU Chairman, Mr. Yardley regulated the electricity, natural gas, water, telecommunications, and transportation industries in Massachusetts.
Trained as an economist with strong analytical skills, Mr. Yardley has an in-depth understanding of the competitive challenges facing regulated and unregulated energy firms as well as the policy challenges facing government agencies responsible for overseeing the restructuring of the energy industry, including the “Utility of the Future” concepts. Mr. Yardley has testified before state and federal regulatory agencies on policy initiatives, earnings attrition, incentive regulation, integrated resource planning, distribution system planning, interstate pipeline ratemaking, and emergency response plans and performance. Additionally, he has designed and led large industry collaboratives on retail customer choice and distributed generation, and facilitated client stakeholder meetings.
Mr. Yardley holds a B.A. in Economics from Georgetown University and completed all of the course work for a doctorate in Economics from Boston College but did not complete a dissertation. He also serves on Concentric’s Board of Directors.
Education
A.B.D., Economics, Boston College
B.A., Economics, Georgetown University
Testified Before
Alberta Energy Resources Conservation Board; Arizona Corporation Commission; Connecticut Department of Public Utility Control; Federal District Court; Federal Energy Regulatory Commission; Maine Public Utilities Commission; Maryland Public Service Commission; Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities; New Hampshire Public Utilities Commission; Ontario Energy Board; Régie de l’énergie du Québec; Texas Public Utility Commission; Tucson Electric Power Company; Wisconsin Public Service Commission
Case Studies
Natural Gas LDC Highest and Best Use Study
Concentric conducted an analysis on the highest and best use of a local distribution company’s (“LDC”) assets. Specifically, we: Analyzed the value of potential supplemental service offerings and alternative uses of the LDC’s infrastructure in an effort to optimize the utility of these assets while maintaining reliable service to existing customers; Assessed the potential for broader […]
New York Energy Policy – Overview
At the beginning of the New York REV proceeding in 2014, the PSC Chair requested that the investor-owned utilities participate as a group, establishing the Joint Utilities of New York (“Joint Utilities”). Concentric provides Project Management Office (“PMO”) support to the Joint Utilities and works with Subject Matter Expert teams to prepare comments in REV-related […]
Utility Business Model and Regulatory Framework
Concentric organized, delivered, facilitated, and documented two multi-day “Utility-of-the-Future” workshops for a vertically-integrated utility as a level setting exercise that would establish a foundation for development of corporate strategy and participation in an anticipated generic policy proceeding. The first workshop addressed the key change drivers and business model implications, the role of innovation and new […]
Innovation
On behalf of the Canadian Gas Association and the Canadian Electricity Association, Concentric has prepared a discussion paper and three updates for utility executives and provincial regulators that examined the roles that Canada’s utilities and regulators serve to promote innovation. The paper offers a framework to consider the roles for government, utilities, and other private-sector […]
Natural Gas Infrastructure/Operations Alternatives Advisory
We conducted an analysis on the highest and best use of a local distribution company’s (“LDC”) assets. Specifically, we: Analyzed the value of potential supplemental service offerings and alternative uses of the LDC’s infrastructure in an effort to optimize the utility of these assets while maintaining reliable service to existing customers. Assessed the potential for broader […]
LDC Decarbonization
In light of recent goals established in New York State related to decarbonization of the natural gas industry, two clients engaged Concentric to provide support on this complex issue. Concentric is working with New York’s large investor-owned LDCs to draft comments related to integrated planning for natural gas utilities. One of the LDCs has separately […]
Ten-Year Regulatory Roadmap
A “regulatory roadmap’” is needed to execute a corporate vision when the existing regulatory framework does not provide the utility with appropriate authorities and financial incentives to deliver on customer desires and policy goals. Concentric’s team of regulatory, operations, customer, and planning experts worked with a client team to refine their long-term vision and develop […]
Unitil Grid Modernization Plan
Concentric partnered with a technology firm to develop a Grid Modernization Plan for Fitchburg Gas & Electric (FG&E), the Massachusetts subsidiary of Unitil Corporation. Massachusetts was the first state in the country to mandate the filing of grid modernization plans. The filing demonstrates how FG&E will make progress in meeting the regulator’s four grid modernization […]
Resilience Plan
Concentric collaborated with Avangrid’s distribution system planning, grid operations, capital investment, and regulatory Subject Matter Experts to develop resilience plans for its New York and Maine service areas. These plans were informed by data analytics and consisted of proposals to reconfigure several circuits, adding sensors and automatic distribution capabilities, coordinated with tree-trimming plans. Concentric prepared […]
DSO Business Model
A northeast investor-owned utility retained Concentric to examine the potential business and operational impacts of increasing amounts of distributed energy resources on their distribution system. At the same time, our client wanted to explore the strategic implications of the Distribution System Operator (DSO) concept. The goal was to develop a Design Model for the DSO […]
Market Design
As part of New York Public Service Commission Case 18-E-0130, “Matter of Energy Storage Deployment Program,” the Joint Utilities of New York (Joint Utilities) requested consulting support to help develop market design and integration concepts as input to a Joint Market Design and Integration Report. Concentric’s engagement leader has been an active participant in all […]
Publications
Regulator Rationale for Ratepayer-Funded Electricity and Natural Gas Innovation PDF
