Susan F. Tierney
 
                    Education
Ph.D. and M.A., regional planning, public policy, Cornell University; B.A., Scripps College
Summary of Experience
Dr. Tierney is an expert on energy policy and economics, specializing in the electric and gas industries. She has consulted to companies, governments, nonprofits, and other organizations on energy markets, as well as economic and environmental regulation and strategy. Her expert witness and business consulting services have involved industry restructuring, market analyses, utility ratemaking and regulatory policy, clean energy regulatory policy, transmission issues, wholesale and retail market design, and resource planning and procurement. Dr. Tierney is a former assistant secretary for policy at the US Department of Energy, state cabinet officer for environmental affairs, and state public utility commissioner. She chairs the board of directors of Resources for the Future; serves on the external advisory board of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory; and is a member of the boards of directors of the World Resources Institute, the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, the Barr Foundation, and other organizations. She has published widely, frequently speaks at industry conferences, and has lectured at many leading universities.
Provided Expert Testimony
- Assessing Market Needs to Evaluate Natural Gas Pipeline Development
- Assessing the Environmental Impact of the Siting of a Natural Gas Power Plant
- Central Vermont Public Service Corporation and Green Mountain Power Corporation v. Entergy Nuclear Vermont Yankee
- David T. Stevenson, et al. v. Delaware Department of Natural Resources, et al.
- In re: The Application of Transource Maryland LLC for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity
- State of North Carolina, ex rel. Roy Cooper, Attorney General, v. Tennessee Valley Authority
- US Senate Committee Hearing to Examine the Electricity Sector in a Changing Climate
Additional Cases
- American Tradition Institute and Rod Lueck, v. Epel, et al.
- Analysis of Economic Feasibility of Proposed Coal Plant
- Calpine Corporation Bankruptcy Settlement
- Consultants Study CEO Perspectives and Recommendations on California’s Advanced Energy Policies
- Energy Policy Act Section 1813 Comments: Report of the Ute Indian Tribe of the Uintah and Ouray Reservation for Submission to the US Departments of Energy and Interior
- In-Depth New Analyses on the Use of Renewable Energy for Power System Operations
- Pricing and Retail Contract Analysis
- The Economic Impacts of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative on Northeast and Mid-Atlantic States
- Wholesale Market Design Analysis
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                                                        U.S. Coal-Fired Power Generation: Market Fundamentals as of 2023 and Transitions AheadWhite Paper, 2023 
 2023
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                                                        Massachusetts’ Energy Transition: Innovation for Electric Utility RegulationWhite paper, September 2023 
 2023
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                                                        Accelerating Decarbonization in the United States: Technology, Policy, and Societal DimensionsNational Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, 2023 
 2023
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                                                        Electric System Reliability and EPA Regulation of GHG Emissions from Power Plants: 2023White Paper, 2023 
 2023
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                                                        Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s Reliability Technical Conference: Prepared Statement of Susan F. Tierney, Ph.D., Senior Advisor, Analysis GroupFederal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), 2023 
 2023
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                                                        Vehicle Fuel-Economy and Air-Pollution Standards: A Literature Review of the Rebound EffectWhite Paper, June 2018 
 2018
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                                                        An Expanding Carbon Cap-and-trade Regime? A Decade of Experience with RGGI Charts a Path ForwardThe Electricity Journal, June 2018 
 2018
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                                                        Resource Adequacy and Wholesale Market Structure for a Future Low-Carbon Power System in CaliforniaWhite Paper, July 2018 
 2018
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                                                        The Proposed Northern Pass Transmission Project: Assessing its impacts on New HampshireWhite Paper, February 2017 
 2017
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                                                        Enhancing the Resilience of the Nation's Electricity SystemNational Academy of Sciences, Consensus Study Report, July 2017 
 2017
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                                                        Natural Gas Pipeline Certification: Policy Considerations for a Changing IndustryWhite Paper, November 2017 
 2017
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                                                        Electricity Markets, Reliability and the Evolving U.S. Power SystemWhite Paper, June 20, 2017 
 2017
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                                                        RGGI and CO2 Emissions Trading Under the Clean Power Plan: Options for Trading Among Generating UnitWhite Paper, July 2016 
 2016
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                                                        The U.S. Coal Industry: Challenging Transitions in the 21st CenturyWhite Paper, September 2016 
 2016
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                                                        Does the Clean Power Plan Go Too Far? No.The National Law Journal, September 26, 2016 
 2016
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                                                        Millstone Power Station - Providing support for achieving Connecticut’s clean energy goalsWhite Paper, December 2016 
 2016Tierney S, Aubuchon C 
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                                                        Electric System Reliability and EPA’s Clean Power Plan: Tools and PracticesWhite Paper, February 2015 
 2015
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                                                        Electric System Reliability and EPA’s Clean Power Plan: The Case of PJMWhite Paper, March 2015 
 2015
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                                                        Carbon Control and Competitive Wholesale Electricity Markets: Compliance Paths for Efficient Market OutcomesWhite Paper, May 2015 
 2015Carbon Control and Competitive Wholesale Electricity Markets: Compliance Paths for Efficient Market Outcomes 
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                                                        Electric System Reliability and EPA’s Clean Power Plan: The Case of MISOWhite Paper, June 2015 
 2015
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                                                        Report of the Independent Advisory Panel Regarding Integration of Renewable Energy into California’s Electric SystemIndependent Advisory Panel Report, January 2014 
 2014Arvizu D, Borenstein S, Tierney S, Wright S 
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                                                        Project Vigilance: Functional Feasibility Study for the Installation of Ambri Energy Storage Batteries at Joint Base Cape CodFunctional Feasibility Study, February 2014 
 2014
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                                                        EPA’s Clean Power Plan: States’ Tools for Reducing Costs and Increasing Benefits to ConsumersWhite Paper, July 2014 
 2014
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                                                        California's Advanced Energy Economy: Advanced Energy Business Leaders’ Perspectives and Recommendations on California’s Energy PoliciesReport prepared for the Advanced Energy Economy Institute, February 2013 
 2013
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                                                        Planning for Offshore Energy DevelopmentWhite Paper: Executive Summary, June 2013 
 2013Tierney S, Carpenter S 
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                                                        Planning for Offshore Energy Development - CompleteWhite Paper, June 2013 
 2013Tierney S, Carpenter S 
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                                                        Why Coal Plants Retire: Power Market Fundamentals as of 2012White Paper, February 2012 
 2012
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                                                        The Positive Outlook for Cleaner Air and Reliable Electric ServiceWhite Paper, June 2012 
 2012
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                                                        Terrorism and the Electric Power Delivery SystemReport Issued by the National Research Council (NRC) 
 2012
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                                                        America’s Bright Future: Cleaner Air and Affordable, Reliable ElectricityWhite Paper, May 2012 
 2012
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                                                        The Economic Impacts of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative on Ten Northeast and Mid-Atlantic StatesWhite Paper, November 2011 
 2011
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                                                        Carbon Control and the Economy: Economic Impacts of RGGI’s First Three YearsThe Electricity Journal, December 2011 
 2011
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                                                        Ensuring a Clean, Modern Electric Generating Fleet while Maintaining Electric System Reliability: Summer 2011 UpdateM.J. Bradley & Associates LLC 
 2011
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                                                        Ensuring a Clean, Modern Electric Generating Fleet while Maintaining Electric System Reliability: Fall 2011 UpdateM.J. Bradley & Associates LLC 
 2011
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                                                        Ensuring a Clean, Modern Electric Generating Fleet while Maintaining Electric System ReliabilityM.J. Bradley & Associates LLC 
 2010
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                                                        An Evaluation of the McCullough Research Report on New York’s Wholesale Power MarketReport Commissioned by the New York Independent System Operator (NYISO) 
 2009
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                                                        Strategic Options for Investment in Transmission in Support of Offshore Wind Development in MassachusettsCommissioned by the Massachusetts Renewable Energy Trust (MRET) 
 2009
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                                                        Competitive Procurement of Retail Electricity Supply: Recent Trends in State Policies and Utility PracticesCommissioned by the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC) and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) 
 2008
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                                                        ERCOT Texas’s Competitive Power Experience: A View from the Outside Looking InCommissioned by Reliant Energy, Inc. 
 2008
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                                                        Pay-as-Bid vs. Uniform Pricing: Discriminatory Auctions Promote Strategic Bidding and Market ManipulationPublic Utilities Fortnightly, March 2008 
 2008Tierney S, Schatzki T, Mukerji R 
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                                                        A 21st Century “Interstate Electric Highway System” – Connecting Consumers and Domestic Clean Power SuppliesWhite Paper - Commissioned by AEP 
 2008
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                                                        A Cost-Benefit Analysis of the New York Independent System Operator: The Initial YearsReport Commissioned by the New York Independent System Operator 
 2007
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                                                        A National Perspective on Allocating the Costs of New Transmission Investment: Practice and PrinciplesWhite Paper prepared by the Blue Ribbon Panel on Cost Allocation for WIRES 
 2007Baldick R, Brown A, Bushnell J, Tierney S, Winter T 
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                                                        Decoding Developments in Today’s Electric Industry – Ten Points in the PrismWhite Paper for the Electric Power Supply Association (EPSA) 
 2007
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                                                        A Cost-Benefit Assessment of Wholesale Electricity Restructuring and Competition in New EnglandJournal of Regulatory Economics 
 2006
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                                                        The Economic Burden of Depression: Societal and Patient PerspectivesBiology of Depression. From Novel Insights to Therapeutic Strategies 
 2005
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                                                        Energy and Environmental Policy in the United States: Synergies and Challenges in the Electric IndustryPrepared for The French Center on the United States 
 2003
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                                                        The Political Economy of Long-Term Generation Adequacy: Why an ICAP Mechanism Is Needed as Part of Standard Market DesignThe Electricity Journal 
 2002Tierney S, Besser JG, Farr J 
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                                                        Regional Issues in Restructuring the Electric IndustryThe Electricity Industry Briefing Papers 
 1998
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                                                        Foreword: Using Consensus Building to Improve Utility RegulationAmer Council for An Energy (August 1994) 
 1994
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                                                        Massachusetts’ Pre-Approval Approach to Prudence in MassachusettsThe Electricity Journal 
 1990
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                                                        Using Existing Tools to Pry Open Transmission—A New England ProposalThe Electricity Journal 
 1990
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                                                        Datawars: Computer Models in the Federal GovernmentColumbia University Press 
 1987Tierney S, Kraemer KL, Dickhoven S, King JL 
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                                                        December 2, 2019
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                                                        September 14, 2021
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                                                        September 24, 2021
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                                                        September 21, 2022
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                                                        March 24, 2023
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                                                        November 9, 2023
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                                                    March 4, 2024
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                                                    February 9, 2024
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                                                    January 24, 2024
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                                                    November 15, 2023
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                                                    November 8, 2023
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                                                    October 23, 2023
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                                                    October 11, 2023
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                                                    September 12, 2023
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                                                    August 8, 2023
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                                                    August 2, 2023
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                                                    July 12, 2021
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                                                    March 19, 2021
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                                                    February 25, 2021
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                                                    February 8, 2021
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                                                    January 19, 2021
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                                                    January 14, 2021
 
         
                                 
                                 
                                 
                                 
                                 
                                