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 6/17/26 Matt Chester 6/17/26

What the NFL Schedule Release Can Teach Utilities About Communication

Recently, the NFL released its 2026-27 season schedule, an annual tradition that gives the football-starved fanbase something to feast on during the long offseason.

Why am I writing about this on Energy Central’s Substack?

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 5/20/26 Matt Chester 5/20/26

Cracking Open the Power Bill Black Box for Angry Ratepayers

Let’s face it—no one has ever liked paying their power bill. That said, for decades it felt like a relatively stable and, dare I say, fair expense. Recently, though, we’ve seen utility rates increase and rank among the top economic concerns for the average American.

Matt Chester 4/30/26 Matt Chester 4/30/26

When the Threat Goes Personal: Protecting Utility Leaders

As cyber and physical threats converge, utility executives have become increasingly visible, which means they can be and have been increasingly targeted. From sophisticated phishing and mobile device compromise to doxxing, impersonation, and AI-driven social engineering, today’s risk landscape extends well beyond the enterprise perimeter and into the personal digital lives of utility leaders.

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

Defanging the New Bipartisan Boogeyman: Utility CEO Salaries

Typically, energy policy debates follow the expected partisan divide. But recent hot-button issues have united policymakers across the aisle, who may be heard shouting platitudes like:

The energy rates are too damn high!

Data centers aren’t paying their fair share!

Matt Chester 3/25/26 Matt Chester 3/25/26

Data centers as the new energy villain? That might be a problem

When people outside the energy sector think about the grid, it’s usually only after something goes wrong, such as a blackout or a surprise bill spike. Lately, the culprit for the public thinking about energy has come from a new source of consternation: data centers.