Press Release

PUC Chairman Brown to Lead National Committee on Critical Infrastructure

Published on 4/20/2018

Filed under: Electric Gas Water and Wastewater Telecommunications Transportation and Safety

HARRISBURG – The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) today congratulated PUC Chairman Gladys M. Brown for her appointment to lead the Committee on Critical Infrastructure for the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC).

The NARUC Committee on Critical Infrastructure is intended to provide a forum for state regulators to explore and analyze solutions to concerns about utility infrastructure security, reliability and resilience. The committee also gives state regulators opportunities to share best practices and collaborate, often with federal counterparts. Committee chairs are appointed by the NARUC President for a one-year term and may be reappointed for a maximum of three consecutive terms.

“We are so pleased to welcome Chairman Brown to lead the Committee on Critical Infrastructure,” said NARUC President John Betkoski III. “She brings previous committee and taskforce experience and has the experience required to ensure that our state commissions have access to the tools they need to help ensure that utility critical infrastructures are secure and can recover quickly from natural or manmade disruptions to service.”

Under Chairman Brown’s leadership, the PUC has worked with utilities and other stakeholders to enhance the Commonwealth’s ability to safeguard against and respond to large-scale cyber and physical events. The Commission also collaborated with Gov. Tom Wolf to host a first-ever statewide “Black Sky” exercise as a mechanism to enhance preparation and coordination for large-scale outages, which could be the result of natural disasters or manmade cyber or physical events. PUC efforts are focused on fostering greater communication between utilities in different sectors; developing and promoting best practices for mid-size and smaller entities; and integrating other state agencies, emergency responders and non-government organizations (NGOs) in Black Sky planning.

“I am honored to chair the Committee on Critical Infrastructure and I thank President Betkoski and the NARUC Board for this appointment,” said Chairman Brown. “I am looking forward to working collectively with state commissions and utilities across the country to address the challenges and opportunities involving infrastructure security and resilience.”

Chairman Brown began her service as a PUC Commissioner in 2013 and was appointed Chairman in 2015.  She was recently unanimously confirmed to serve a second 5-year term, through April 1, 2023, and continues to serve as chair of the Commission.
 

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.
 

About the Pennsylvania PUC

The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission balances the needs of consumers and utilities; ensures safe and reliable utility service at reasonable rates; protects the public interest; educates consumers to make independent and informed utility choices; furthers economic development; and fosters new technologies and competitive markets in an environmentally sound manner.

Visit the PUC’s website at www.puc.pa.gov for recent news releases and video of select proceedings. You can also follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube. Search for the “Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission” or “PA PUC” on your favorite social media channel for updates on utility issues and other helpful consumer information.

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Contact:

• Nils Hagen-Frederiksen
  Press Secretary
  717-418-2701
  nhagen-fre@pa.gov