Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission appoints director new Office of Cybersecurity Compliance and Oversight

The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) recently created a new office, the Office of Cybersecurity Compliance and Oversight (OCCO), and appointed Michael C. Holko as its director.

Holko will direct the commission’s cybersecurity and regulatory oversight program, which aims to protect Pennsylvania’s regulated utilities from cyber-attacks and ensure adequate, safe and reliable public utility service to consumers.

“We are pleased to add Michael to our PUC team as he joins us in this most critical position,” PUC Chairman Gladys M. Brown at today’s Public Meeting said. “The creation of our new Office of Cybersecurity Compliance and Oversight is the next important step in the Commission’s continued efforts to protect Pennsylvania utility customers from experiencing disruption of utility services and other vital systems and services we depend on.”

Before his recent appointment, Holko’s was the program manager at the state’s Office of Administration, Office for Information Technology. He has previously held positions at the state’s Office of Administration’s Bureau of Personnel, the state’s Office of the Budget and the Pennsylvania Justice Network.

In his new position as the director of the Office of Cybersecurity Compliance and Oversight, Holko will advise the executive director and commissioners on policy issues and procedural improvements related to cybersecurity oversight functions of regulated utilities. He will also draft proposed cyber-related regulations, and oversee the preparation of orders, rulemakings, policy statements, Secretarial Letters and memoranda related to cybersecurity policies and procedures of regulated utilities.