Contact: Regina Davis, rdavis@naruc.org

Maryland PSC Chair Jason Stanek Tapped to Co-Lead the Initiative

WASHINGTON (September 8, 2021) — The National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners is pleased to announce that all of the state commissioner nominees to the new Federal-State Electric Transmission Task Force were accepted by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, with Maryland Public Service Commission Chair Jason Stanek selected as the vice chair.

As noted in its order, FERC will hold five seats on the task force (one for each commissioner), along with 10 state commissions representing each NARUC region:

• 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

Stanek, who was selected as vice chair by the state task force members, sees the task force as an opportunity to address the need for transmission solutions. “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,” he said.

Along with listing the members, the order announced the first official meeting of the group and invited the submission of agenda topics. The task force will meet during the NARUC Annual Meeting and Education Conference on November 10 in Louisville, Ky. Topics for the meeting agenda will be accepted by the task force until September 10.

“We appreciate FERC’s initiative in establishing the task force and we look forward to being a fully engaged partner and co-leading this initiative,” said NARUC President Paul Kjellander.

Whether state or federal, all commissioners will have equal votes on the task force and “members will sit in an advisory capacity” according to the order.

To submit agenda topics or track task force activity, see FERC Docket No. AD21-15. To learn more about the NARUC Annual Meeting, visit naruc.org/meetings-and-events/naruc-annual-meetings/2021-annual-meeting/.

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About NARUC

NARUC is a non-profit organization founded in 1889 whose members include the governmental agencies that are engaged in the regulation of utilities and carriers in the fifty states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. NARUC's member agencies regulate telecommunications, energy, and water utilities. NARUC represents the interests of state public utility commissions before the three branches of the Federal government.