NARUC names Powelson of Pa. PUC as organization’s new president

Commissioner Robert Powelson of the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission was recently appointed as the president of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners during the organization’s annual meeting in La Quinta, California.

Powelson follows Travis Kavulla of Montana as president of NARUC, a national association representing state utility officials who regulate utility services such as electricity, telecommunications, gas, water and transportation.

“I am honored to continue moving the association forward in its 128th year, as NARUC continues the challenging work of representing the interests of state commissions,” Powelson said. “I thank our immediate past president, Travis Kavulla, for his steadfast commitment and dedication to the association and its mission. We have an excellent board of directors and executive committee, with whom I look forward to leading the association through the next year.”

Powelson’s theme for the coming year at NARUC will be “Infrastructure, Innovation, and Investment: Driving the Future of Regulation.”

His duties include providing general oversight of the association and representing the group before Congress, the courts and various administrative agencies. He also will be responsible for designating members to the group’s board of directors, committee leadership positions, and other appointments.

Powelson has served on the Pennsylvania PUC since 2008. Under his leadership, the PUC has addressed issues such as progressive ratemaking, utility infrastructure replacement, broadband development, and expanded use of natural gas throughout Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania PUC said.

Additionally, NARUC appointed three commissioners to the board of directors including Margaret Curran of Rhode Island, Mark Vannoy of Maine and Nick Wagner of Iowa. Reappointment of board members included Bob Stump of Arizona, Ronald Brise of Florida, Judith Jagdmann of Virginia, Robert Scott of New Hampshire and Brien Sheahan of Illinois.

Also, at the meeting, the NARUC Board of Directors approved a number of resolutions related to critical infrastructure like electricity.

The electricity-related resolutions include support of an extension of the Nuclear Production Tax Credit, a resolution regarding the enforcement of PURPA Standards and Regulations, and a resolution regarding Federal Trade Commission intrusion into state jurisdiction on distributed generation policy.