AI for Utility Rate-Case Analysts: Witness Prep

End-of-lesson check

15 questions · take it digitally for instant feedback at tendril.neural-forge.io/learn/quiz/end-careers-ai-utility-rate-case-witness-prep-r10a4-adults

1. What is a utility rate case?

   1. A legal case where a utility sues a customer for nonpayment
   2. A regulatory proceeding before a Public Utility Commission where a utility presents its case for a rate change
   3. An internal audit of utility rates for compliance
   4. A customer complaint process for billing disputes

2. Who are 'intervenors' in a utility rate case?

   1. Utility employees who testify on behalf of the company
   2. PUC commissioners who ask questions
   3. Parties like consumer advocates and industrial customers who challenge the utility's position
   4. Federal regulators who observe the proceeding

3. What is 'pre-filed testimony' in a rate case proceeding?

   1. Informal notes utilities send to regulators
   2. Written testimony submitted before the hearing that serves as the witness's direct examination
   3. Oral testimony given before the hearing date
   4. Financial documents filed with the court

4. How does AI improve the quality of witness prep question sets in rate cases?

   1. AI guarantees witnesses will not face tough cross-examination
   2. AI can mine intervenor briefs and pre-filed testimony to generate comprehensive cross-examination question seeds
   3. AI replaces the need for witnesses to actually testify
   4. AI automatically settles rate cases without hearings

5. A utility analyst uses AI to prepare cross-examination questions from an intervenor brief. What critical review must happen before using these with a witness?

   1. None — AI-generated questions are ready to use immediately
   2. Legal counsel and experienced rate case analysts must review questions for strategic relevance and accuracy
   3. The intervenor must approve the question list
   4. The PUC commissioner must pre-approve witness preparation materials

6. Why must witnesses answer truthfully, even if AI helped prepare their answers?

   1. Witnesses are required by contract to use only AI-prepared answers
   2. Witnesses testify under oath; perjury laws apply regardless of how they prepared
   3. The AI tool requires an oath before generating answers
   4. Truthfulness is required only for written pre-filed testimony, not oral testimony

7. What does 'clustering questions by topic' mean in the context of AI-assisted witness prep?

   1. Sorting questions by the letter of the alphabet
   2. Organizing cross-examination questions into thematic groups so witnesses can prepare their understanding of each area
   3. Grouping all hard questions together at the end
   4. Identifying which questions the intervenor asked most recently

8. What is a 'test year' in a rate case?

   1. The year in which the utility's rates were last tested by regulators
   2. The historical or future period used as the basis for the cost-of-service study
   3. The calendar year in which the rate case is filed
   4. The period during which rates cannot be changed

9. What can AI NOT do in rate case witness preparation?

   1. Identify inconsistencies across exhibits
   2. Cluster questions by topic area
   3. Predict how commissioners will rule on contested issues
   4. Mine intervenor briefs for question seeds

10. What is the 'adversarial question prompt' approach described for witness prep?

    1. Asking AI to write hostile questions to discourage witnesses
    2. Asking AI to play opposing counsel and probe the weakest assumptions in the utility's cost-of-service study
    3. Having AI cross-examine witnesses automatically
    4. Using AI to generate questions that support the utility's position

11. Why is early witness preparation more valuable than last-minute preparation?

    1. PUC rules require filing witness prep documents months in advance
    2. Witnesses can refine and practice their answers through multiple rounds when preparation starts early
    3. Early preparation costs less than last-minute preparation
    4. Intervenors receive copies of witness preparation materials filed early

12. What is the difference between 'tracking inconsistencies across exhibits' and 'making design decisions' in rate case context?

    1. There is no difference; both are AI tasks
    2. AI can identify where exhibit numbers don't match testimony; only the utility's engineers and rate case team can make decisions about the rate design
    3. AI can make rate design decisions if given enough historical data
    4. Both require human oversight equally

13. A utility witness is asked a question at the PUC hearing that AI preparation did not anticipate. What should they do?

    1. Decline to answer since it was not in the preparation materials
    2. Answer based on their actual knowledge and expertise, as AI preparation is preparation for their genuine knowledge, not a script
    3. Ask for a recess to consult the AI tool
    4. Refer the commissioner to their pre-filed testimony and refuse to elaborate

14. What is a 'cost-of-service study' and why does it matter for cross-examination prep?

    1. A study of how much customer service costs the utility
    2. An analysis that allocates the utility's total costs across customer classes to determine each class's revenue requirement
    3. A competitive analysis of the utility's operating costs compared to peers
    4. An environmental study of the utility's operational impact

15. What is the overall benefit of AI-assisted witness preparation for utility rate cases?

    1. AI eliminates the need for witness preparation entirely
    2. AI allows witnesses to avoid difficult questions during cross-examination
    3. AI produces more comprehensive question sets in less time, enabling multiple rounds of preparation that produce more confident and accurate witness testimony
    4. AI can predict the outcome of the rate case in advance