Matt Sharp Quoted in POLITICO on NV Energy Wildfire Insurance Proposal
June 9, 2026
Attorney Matthew L. Sharp was quoted in POLITICO‘s E&E News this week in coverage of NV Energy’s request to fund a $500 million wildfire insurance policy through its ratepayers. The proposal comes as Nevada’s largest utility, and the broader West, faces the dual pressure of rising wildfire risk and growing electricity costs.
Sharp, who works with wildfire victims, pointed to the central tension in the utility’s plan. “NV Energy is saying we want to self insure for the liability risk that our conduct might create a fire. That’s not so unusual when you look across many businesses,” he told POLITICO. But “one of the concerns is how it affects the rates that customers are going to pay, including the customers who are at risk.”
State regulators and NV Energy have agreed the company should carry between $1 billion and $1.5 billion in total coverage. At issue is where that coverage would come from, and whether ratepayers would shoulder even higher costs if the utility turned to the private market. NV Energy’s filing estimates the policy would add roughly $3 per month for northern Nevada customers and 21 cents per month for southern Nevada customers, with more responsibility assigned to the north because of its higher fire risk.
The Public Utilities Commission of Nevada held two days of hearings on the request last week. There is no firm timeline for a decision.
Read the full article here: https://www.eenews.net/articles/nevada-utility-seeks-ratepayer-funds-for-wildfire-insurance/
