Our Blog

Chester Energy and Policy started in 2017 as a blog before blossoming into a full consulting business. The goal of the blog originally was simple: answer interesting questions in the world of energy & sustainability that weren’t being answered elsewhere, tapping into energy data sets, expert interviews, and a unique lens.

Today, the blog section of Chester Energy and Policy seeks to continue that mission: answering interesting questions. If you have a question that you think is worth diving into for a blog post, reach out and let us know! .

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Read Most Recent Blog Posts

Matt Chester 6/1/26 Matt Chester 6/1/26

Why are utility customers so angry? Here's the $7B answer

A new Pew survey suggests the public is drawing some sharp conclusions about why electricity bills are rising, and not all of them are flattering to utilities. But does public perception match reality, and how much does it actually matter when trust is broken either way?

Matt Chester 5/2/26 Matt Chester 5/2/26

Debunking the red vs. blue energy myth

Energy has become one of the most politically charged topics in the country, but is the red-vs-blue framing actually helping us understand what is happening in the power sector? Or is it a shorthand that creates assumptions that don’t hold up to scrutiny?

Matt Chester 4/2/26 Matt Chester 4/2/26

How drones are becoming critical infrastructure for utilities

What does the pathway look like from shiny new toy to core operational tool? That’s the trajectory drones have seemingly taken in many utility operations, highlighting that the hype was real an the future is now.

Matt Chester 3/18/26 Matt Chester 3/18/26

What makes overhead lines fail (and how to fix it)

Reliability has become one of the most urgent topics in the utility sector today. As aging infrastructure meets rising electricity demand and more frequent extreme weather, utilities are facing growing pressure to keep the lights on while modernizing the grid. From vegetation management to conductor fatigue and storm resilience, the question isn’t whether upgrades are needed, but how utilities can make the smartest investments to strengthen the grid quickly, effectively, and affordably.

Matt Chester 3/12/26 Matt Chester 3/12/26

The digital tools that are reshaping grid construction

The utility industry is entering a construction boom unlike anything seen in decades. From electrification and load growth to wildfire mitigation and resilience investments, utilities across the country are racing to build and upgrade transmission and distribution infrastructure. But scaling up construction isn’t just about building faster, it’s also about rethinking the entire construction lifecycle, from planning and design to data capture and project closeout.

Matt Chester 3/3/26 Matt Chester 3/3/26

We asked hundreds of utility pros about the endangerment finding. Here's what they really think

A major shift in U.S. energy and climate policy has reignited debate across the utility industry. When the Trump administration’s EPA moved to roll back the 2009 Endangerment Finding, the scientific determination that greenhouse gases threaten public health, it set off a wave of reactions throughout the energy sector. But how do utility professionals themselves actually view the move?