People who Power the Process: Achintya Madduri, CPUC Supervisor, Rate Analysis Section

The California Public Utilities Commission’s (CPUC) mission is to deliver safe, reliable, and affordable utility service. For electric rates, that means making sure CPUC-approved utility costs are recovered fairly from customers and in a way that supports the clean energy transition. 

Setting rates is only part of the job. The CPUC also must understand what those rates mean for the bills Californians actually pay, and whether rates send the right signals for how customers use the grid. 

Experts like Achintya Madduri, Supervisor of the Rate Analysis Section in the Electric Rates Branch of the CPUC’s Energy Division, lead that analysis. 

In this Q&A, Achintya talks about his role, how his team supports rate design decisions, and how an engineering background shapes his approach to regulation. 

How would you explain your role at the CPUC? 
I lead a team that analyzes electric rates and what they mean for customers. Questions we work on include: 

• How much do California households spend on electricity, natural gas, and transportation fuel, and how is that changing? 
• How will a proposed rate change affect bills for different types of customers such as residential and businesses? 
• Do rates reflect the cost of serving customers and encourage efficient use of the grid? 

Rate design involves tradeoffs, and our job is to give decision-makers clear numbers on those tradeoffs. 

What does your typical day look like?   
Much of my day is spent working with my team on analysis: reviewing models, checking assumptions, and helping turn results into something decision-makers can use. I also work on rate design proceedings like the Advanced Rate Design Rulemaking, review proposed legislation for its effect on rates and bills, and coordinate with other CPUC teams, Commissioner offices, and agencies like the California Energy Commission. 

What does the Rate Analysis Section do? 
We are the analytical team in the Electric Rates Branch. We produce the CPUC’s Annual Report on Electric and Natural Gas Rates and Cost Trends required under Senate Bill 695, and we are building a framework under Assembly Bill 3264 to track total household energy costs. We also provide bill impact analysis for General Rate Case proceedings and other rate applications, so that each decision is grounded in a clear picture of who pays and how much. 

What education and experience do you bring to the CPUC?  
I’m an electrical engineer by training. I earned my Ph.D. from UC Berkeley, where I designed a scalable solar microgrid for electrifying rural communities. I then spent three years as a Senior Systems Engineer at Amber Kinetics, a flywheel energy storage company, before moving into policy as a California Council on Science and Technology Science Fellow with the Assembly Natural Resources Committee. Before joining the CPUC, I worked at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory on the resilience of the electric grid. Having both the engineering and policy backgrounds helps me connect how the grid works physically with how we pay for it. 

What do you like best about your job?   
I love being part of an agency with such an important role in California’s future. The CPUC helps the state meet its ambitious climate goals while keeping the grid reliable. What motivates me most is helping keep electricity prices fair and affordable. Californians rely on electricity for so much of their daily lives, from keeping their homes comfortable to charging their cars, and I’m proud that our work helps make sure everyone is treated fairly.