Lesson 1233 of 1550
AI for Utility Rate-Case Analysts: Witness Prep
How utility analysts use AI to prep witnesses for cross-examination at the PUC.
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What this lesson covers
Learning path
The main moves in order
- 1The premise
- 2rate case
- 3cross
- 4test year
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Section 1
The premise
AI can generate likely cross-examination questions from filed testimony to harden witness prep.
What AI does well here
- Mine intervenor briefs for question seeds
- Cluster questions by topic
- Track inconsistencies across exhibits
What AI cannot do
- Predict commissioner rulings
- Replace counsel
- Coach truthfulness
How rate cases work and what makes witness prep effective
A utility rate case is a regulatory proceeding before a Public Utility Commission (PUC) in which the utility presents its case for a rate change. Utility witnesses — typically engineers, economists, and policy analysts — submit pre-filed testimony covering their portion of the rate case: cost-of-service studies, capital expenditure justifications, demand forecasts, depreciation methodologies. Intervenors (consumer advocates, industrial customers, environmental groups) file their own testimony and then cross-examine the utility witnesses in technical hearings. Cross-examination at a PUC proceeding is methodical and targeted: intervenors study the pre-filed testimony carefully and prepare questions designed to expose inconsistencies, challenge assumptions, or establish records they can reference in briefs. AI is a strong tool for witness prep in this environment because it can read the utility's pre-filed testimony and the intervenors' briefs and generate likely cross-examination question sets organized by topic. A utility analyst can use AI to produce a preliminary question list, then work with witnesses to develop answers. What AI cannot do is predict how commissioners will rule on contested issues, replace counsel's strategic judgment about which concessions to make, or coach a witness to be truthful under oath — that constraint runs the other direction.
- Rate cases involve pre-filed testimony and cross-examination by intervenors at PUC hearings
- AI can mine intervenor briefs for likely cross-examination question seeds organized by topic
- Witnesses must answer truthfully — AI-prepared answers are preparation tools, not scripted lines
- Counsel and experienced rate case analysts must review AI-generated question sets for relevance and strategy
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