NARUC nominees accepted for Federal-State Electric Transmission Task Force

State commissioner nominees from the nonprofit National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC) were accepted by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) this week to fill 10 slots on the newly created Federal-State Electric Transmission Task Force.

Established by a June 17 order from FERC, this task force will unite federal regulators and state commissions in discussion of rate structures, costs, accounts, charges, practices, classifications and regulations of public utilities subject to their respective jurisdictions. Part of this unity will involve joint hearings to confer on the subjects.

Going forward, the task force will be split into 15 seats: ten for state commissioners representing each NARUC region and five for FERC. Maryland Public Service Commission Chair Jason Stanek will serve as vice chair to co-lead the initiative, having been selected by state task force members. All commissioners, state or federal, will have equal votes on the task force.

“Along with my state colleagues, I look forward to a substantive dialogue in support of transmission policies and coordinated actions that advance our common interests across jurisdictional lines,” Stanek said.

Other members, organized by region, include:

• Mid-Atlantic Conference of Regulatory Utilities Commissioners: Chair Gladys Brown Dutrieuille, Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission; Chair Jason Stanek, Maryland Public Service Commission.
• Mid-America Regulatory Conference: Chair Andrew French, Kansas Corporation Commission; Chair Dan Scripps, Michigan Public Service Commission.
• New England Conference of Public Utilities Commissioners: Commissioner Riley Allen, Vermont Public Utility Commission; Chair Matthew Nelson, Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities;
• Southeastern Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners: Commissioner Kimberly Duffley, North Carolina Utilities Commission; Chair Ted Thomas, Arkansas Public Service Commission
• Western Conference of Public Service Commissioners: Commissioner Kristine Raper, Idaho Public Utilities Commission; Commissioner Clifford Rechtschaffen, California Public Utilities Commission.

The task force is still considering agenda topics for its first official meeting, set to occur during the NARUC Annual Meeting and Education Conference on November 10 in Louisville, Kentucky. Topic ideas are being accepted until September 10.