The 10 Questions to Ask Series, or the 10Q Series, is an initiative of the World Resources Institute’s (WRI) Electricity Governance Initiative (EGI) and Prayas, Energy Group. It aims to build the capacity of electricity sector stakeholders—government agencies, regulators, utilities, the private sector, civil society, and others —to design and participate in policy making and implementation processes. Each paper in the series asks a set of 10 questions relevant to a particular topic within the broader electricity sector. The series pays particular attention to public interests—interests in which society has a stake and that warrant government recognition, promotion, and protection. These interests may include decisions concerning public expenditures, affordability, service quality, and impact on local and global resources. We consider “good” electricity policy to be policies designed to improve effectiveness of public expenditures, reduce unnecessary costs, raise the quality of service, and minimize social and environmental impacts while seeking to reach specific policy objectives. “Good” also references “good governance” as laid out in EGI’s flagship publication, the “Electricity Governance Initiative Assessment Toolkit” (EGI Assessment Toolkit).

The questions raised in the 10Q Series are relevant in a variety of policy making contexts. Individuals in government, utilities, and planning agencies can use the10Qs to assess or review electricity policies. Civil society groups can draw on the 10Qs as a guide to engaging with policymakers at public hearings or other consultations.

Combinations of these modes of engagement can guide multi-stakeholder forums to design policy roadmaps under a common framework.