Tennessee Regulatory Authority changes name

Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam and the Tennessee General Assembly recently approved legislation that changes the name of the Tennessee Regulatory Authority (TRA) to the Tennessee Public Utility Commission (TPUC).

Sen. Jack Johnson (R-TN) and Rep. Pat Marsh (R-TN) sponsored the bill during the 2017 Tennessee General Assembly’s legislative session. In addition to changing the regulatory agency’s name, the bill also re-titles the organization’s five-member leadership board from directors to commissioners.

“The name change is significant because it more clearly identifies the nature of what we do,” TPUC Commissioner David F. Jones said. “And notwithstanding the change, consumers and industry alike can expect the same level of commitment and service that they have come to expect.”

The congressmen introduced the bill in order to bring Tennessee’s organization in line with its counterparts in other states.

“Several other state commissions around the country are referred to as Public Utility Commissions with its leading officers referred to as Commissioners,” TPUC Executive Director Earl Taylor said. “This change was made to align Tennessee with industry standards that are common nationwide.”

The mission of the newly named Tennessee Public Utility Commission, to provide regulatory oversight of Tennessee’s investor-owned public utility companies, will remain the same as its predecessor.