Finance:Public utilities commission
A public utilities commission is a quasi-governmental body that provides oversight and/or regulation of public utilities in a particular area (locality, municipality, or subnational division), especially in the United States and Canada.
The utilities in question may be owned by the consumers that it serves, a mutual utility like a public utility district, a state-owned utility, or it may be a stockholder-owned utility either publicly traded on a stock exchange or closely held among just a few investors. These utilities often operate as legal monopolies, which means that they do not compete in a marketplace but are instead regulated by commissions to ensure fair pricing.
Canada
In Canada, a public utilities commission (PUC) is a public utility regulator, typically a semi-independent quasi-judicial tribunal, owned and operated within a municipal or local government system under the oversight of one or more elected commissioners.[1] Its role is analogous to a municipal utility district or public utility district in the US.
Below are the PUCs in Canada:
- Board of Commissioners of Public Utilities (Newfoundland and Labrador)[2]
- British Columbia Utilities Commission[3]
- Manitoba Public Utilities Board[4]
- New Brunswick Energy and Utilities Board[5]
- Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board[6]
- Ontario Energy Board[7]
- PEI Regulatory and Appeals Commission[8]
Former commissions in Ontario include:
- Berlin Public Utilities Commission (1906–1916) in Berlin, Ontario
- Brantford Public Utilities Commission (–2001) in Brantford, Ontario
- Galt Public Utilities Commission (1962–1973) in Galt, Ontario
- Kitchener Public Utilities Commission (1916–1973)
United States

In the United States, a public utilities commission (PUC), which may also be named a public service commission (PSC), corporation commission, or similar, is a governing body that regulates the rates and services of a public utility, such as an electric utility. In some cases, government bodies with the title "public service commission" may be civil service oversight bodies, rather than utilities regulators.
The National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners[9] is the national association representing the interests of the public utilities commissions in all 50 states. The Interstate Commerce Commission and Federal Communications Commission perform similar functions in their respective fields in the United States.
The first state utility regulator was the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin, founded in 1907 under Governor Robert M. La Follette to set minimum standards and regulate rates of monopoly utilities.[10]
PUCs in the US by state
| Jurisdiction | Organization | Members | Selection of commissioners |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama Public Service Commission[11] | 3 | Elected at-large | |
| Arizona Corporation Commission[12] | 5 | Elected at-large | |
| Regulatory Commission of Alaska[13] | Appointed by the governor | ||
| Arkansas Public Service Commission[14] | 3 | Appointed by the governor | |
| California Public Utilities Commission[15] | 5 | Appointed by the governor | |
| Colorado Public Utilities Commission[16] | 3 | Appointed by the governor | |
| Connecticut Public Utilities Regulatory Authority[17] | Appointed by the governor | ||
| Delaware Public Service Commission[18] | 5 | Appointed by the governor | |
| District of Columbia Public Service Commission[19] | 3 | Appointed by the mayor | |
| Florida Public Service Commission[20] | 5 | Appointed by the governor | |
| Georgia Public Service Commission[21] | 5 | Elected at-large from residency districts | |
| Hawaii Public Utilities Commission[22] | 3 | Appointed by the governor | |
| Idaho Public Utilities Commission[23] | 3 | Appointed by the governor | |
| Illinois Commerce Commission[24] | 5 | Appointed by the governor | |
| Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission[25] | 5 | Appointed by the governor | |
| Iowa Utilities Board[26] | 3 | Appointed by the governor | |
| Kansas Corporation Commission[27] | 3 | Appointed by the governor | |
| Kentucky Public Service Commission[28] | 3 | Appointed by the governor | |
| Louisiana Public Service Commission[29] | 5 | Elected by district | |
| Maine Public Utilities Commission[30] | 3 | Appointed by the governor | |
| Maryland Public Service Commission[31] | 5 | Appointed by the governor | |
| Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities[32] | 3 | Appointed by the governor | |
| Massachusetts Department of Telecommunications and Cable[33] | Appointed by the governor | ||
| Michigan Public Service Commission[34] | 3 | Appointed by the governor | |
| Minnesota Public Utilities Commission[35] | 5 | Appointed by the governor | |
| Mississippi Public Service Commission[36] | 3 | Elected by district | |
| Missouri Public Service Commission[37] | 5 | Appointed by the governor | |
| Montana Public Service Commission[38] | 5 | Elected by district | |
| Nebraska Public Service Commission[39] | 5 | Elected by district | |
| Nevada Public Utilities Commission[40] | 3 | Appointed by the governor | |
| New Hampshire Public Utilities Commission[41] | 3 | Appointed by the governor | |
| New Jersey Board of Public Utilities[42] | 5 | Appointed by the governor | |
| New Mexico Public Regulation Commission[43] | 3 | Appointed by the governor | |
| New York Public Service Commission[44] | 7 | Appointed by the governor | |
| North Carolina Utilities Commission[45] | 7 | Appointed by the governor | |
| North Dakota Public Service Commission[46] | 3 | Elected at-large | |
| Public Utilities Commission of Ohio[47] | 5 | Appointed by the governor | |
| Oklahoma Corporation Commission[48] | 3 | Elected at-large | |
| Oregon Public Utility Commission[49] | 3 | Appointed by the governor | |
| Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission[50] | Appointed by the governor | ||
| Rhode Island Public Utilities Commission[51] | Appointed by the governor | ||
| South Carolina Public Service Commission[52] | 7 | Appointed by the governor, confirmed by the senate | |
| South Dakota Public Utilities Commission[53] | 3 | Elected at-large | |
| Tennessee Public Service Commission (1897–1996)
Tennessee Regulatory Authority (since 1996) |
3 | Appointed by the governor | |
| Railroad Commission of Texas[54] | 3 | Elected at-large | |
| Texas Public Utility Commission[55] | 5 | Appointed by the governor | |
| Utah Public Service Commission[56] | 3 | Appointed by the governor | |
| Vermont Department of Public Service[57] | Appointed by the governor | ||
| Vermont Public Utility Commission[58] | 3 | Appointed by the governor | |
| Virginia State Corporation Commission[59] | 3 | Legislative appointment | |
| Virgin Islands Public Services Commission[60] | 5 | Appointed by the governor, with two additional ex-officio members appointed by the senate president | |
| Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission[61] | 3 | Appointed by the governor | |
| West Virginia Public Service Commission[62] | 3 | Appointed by the governor | |
| Public Service Commission of Wisconsin[63] | 3 | Appointed by the governor | |
| Wyoming Public Service Commission[64] | 3 | Appointed by the governor |
Local PUCs
| Jurisdiction | Organization | Members | Selection of commissioners |
|---|---|---|---|
| Template:Country data San Francisco | San Francisco Public Utilities Commission[65] | 3 | Nominated by the Mayor and confirmed by the SF Board of Supervisors |
Other countries
- Americas
- Bahamas: Bahamas Public Utilities Commission[66]
- Belize: Belize Public Utilities Commission[67]
- Caribbean: Organisation of Caribbean Utility Regulators (OOCUR)[68]
- Chile: Superintendencia de Servicios Sanitarios de Chile[69]
- Costa Rica: Costa Rica Public Utilities Commission[70]
- Dominican Republic: c Utilities Commission
- Others
- France: Commission de Régulation de l'Energie[71]
- Ghana: Public Utility Regulation Council of Ghana (PURC)[72]
- Sri Lanka: Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka[73]
References
- ↑ Alleckna, Matthias (2020-02-10). "A Guide to All Provincial Utility Commissions in Canada" (in en-US). https://energyrates.ca/provincial-utility-commission-canada/.
- ↑ "Board of Commissioners of Public Utilities". http://www.pub.nf.ca/. Retrieved Sep 15, 2022.
- ↑ "Welcome to the British Columbia Utilties Commission | British Columbia Utilities Commission - BCUC". https://www.bcuc.com/. Retrieved Sep 15, 2022.
- ↑ "Province of Manitoba | v1 - PUB". http://www.pubmanitoba.ca/v1/. Retrieved Sep 15, 2022.
- ↑ "New Brunswick Energy & Utilities Board - Home". https://nbeub.ca/. Retrieved Sep 15, 2022.
- ↑ "Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board | Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board". https://nsuarb.novascotia.ca/. Retrieved Sep 15, 2022.
- ↑ "Home | Ontario Energy Board". https://www.oeb.ca/. Retrieved Sep 15, 2022.
- ↑ Toolkit, Web Experience (Jan 11, 2018). "Island Regulatory and Appeals Commission". https://www.princeedwardisland.ca/en/information/executive-council-office/island-regulatory-and-appeals-commission. Retrieved Sep 15, 2022.
- ↑ "Home". https://www.naruc.org/.
- ↑ "Utility monopolies still reign in the South". Southern Environmental Law Center. January 29, 2024. https://www.southernenvironment.org/news/utility-monopolies-still-reign-in-the-south/.
- ↑ "APSC – New Alabama PSC Website". https://psc.alabama.gov/. Retrieved Sep 15, 2022.
- ↑ "Arizona Corporation Commission". cc.state.az.us. 2010-03-22. http://www.cc.state.az.us/. Retrieved 2022-08-13.
- ↑ "About the Regulatory Commission of Alaska". https://rca.alaska.gov/RCAWeb/AboutRCA/Commission.aspx.
- ↑ "Arkansas Public Service Commission - Homepage". http://www.state.ar.us/psc/.
- ↑ "California Public Utilities Commission". https://www.cpuc.ca.gov/.
- ↑ "Colorado Public Utilities Commission Home Page". http://www.dora.state.co.us/puc/.
- ↑ "Public Utilities Regulatory Authority". https://portal.ct.gov/pura.
- ↑ Delaware, The State of. "Delaware.gov - Official Website of the State of Delaware". https://delaware.gov/.
- ↑ "DCPSC - Home". https://dcpsc.org/.
- ↑ "Welcome to the PSC Web Site - Florida Public Service Commission". http://www.psc.state.fl.us/.
- ↑ "Home | Georgia Public Commission". https://psc.ga.gov/. Retrieved Sep 15, 2022.
- ↑ "Public Utilities Commission". https://puc.hawaii.gov/.
- ↑ "IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION HOMEPAGE". 2010-02-25. http://www.puc.state.id.us/index.htm.
- ↑ "Illinois Commerce Commission". https://www.icc.illinois.gov/.
- ↑ "Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission". 2006-07-30. http://www.state.in.us/iurc/index.html.
- ↑ "Iowa Utilities Board (IUB) | Welcome". 2008-09-15. http://www.state.ia.us/government/com/util/index.html.
- ↑ "Kansas Corporation Commission". https://kcc.ks.gov/.
- ↑ "KY PSC Home". https://psc.ky.gov/.
- ↑ "LPSC - Home". https://www.lpsc.louisiana.gov/. Retrieved Sep 15, 2022.
- ↑ "Maine Public Utilities Commission Homepage | MPUC". https://www.maine.gov/mpuc/.
- ↑ @ColumbiaGasMD. "PSC 01-01-14 - Maryland Public Service Commission". Psc.state.md.us. http://www.psc.state.md.us/psc/. Retrieved 2022-08-13.
- ↑ "Department of Public Utilities | Mass.gov". https://www.mass.gov/orgs/department-of-public-utilities.
- ↑ "Department of Telecommunications and Cable | Mass.gov". https://www.mass.gov/orgs/department-of-telecommunications-and-cable.
- ↑ "MPSC". https://www.michigan.gov/mpsc.
- ↑ "ShieldSquare Captcha". http://mn.gov/puc.
- ↑ "Home | MISSISSIPPI PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION". https://www.psc.ms.gov/. Retrieved Sep 15, 2022.
- ↑ "Missouri Public Service Commission Redirect". 2002-06-04. http://www.ecodev.state.mo.us/psc/.
- ↑ "Montana Public Service Commission". http://psc.mt.gov/.
- ↑ "Nebraska Public Service Commission". https://psc.nebraska.gov/. Retrieved Sep 15, 2022.
- ↑ "State of Nevada -". 2007-06-12. http://puc.state.nv.us/index.htm.
- ↑ "New Hampshire Public Utilities Commission". https://www.puc.nh.gov/.
- ↑ "NJ Board of Public Utilities". https://nj.gov/bpu/.
- ↑ "Home". https://www.nm-prc.org/. Retrieved Sep 15, 2022.
- ↑ "NYS Department of Public Service". http://www.dps.ny.gov/.
- ↑ "NCUC Home Page". 2010-04-16. http://www.ncuc.commerce.state.nc.us/index.htm.
- ↑ "Home: Public Service Commission, North Dakota". https://psc.nd.gov/. Retrieved Sep 15, 2022.
- ↑ "Public Utilities Commission of Ohio". http://www.puco.ohio.gov/. Retrieved Sep 15, 2022.
- ↑ "Oklahoma Corporation Commission Home Page". http://occ.state.ok.us/.
- ↑ "Current Issues". http://www.puc.state.or.us/.
- ↑ "Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission | Regulating Utility Services". https://www.puc.pa.gov/.
- ↑ "RIPUC". http://www.ripuc.ri.gov/.
- ↑ "Welcome to Public Service Commission of South Carolina". psc.state.sc.us. http://www.psc.state.sc.us/. Retrieved 2022-08-13.
- ↑ "South Dakota Public Utilities Commission". https://puc.sd.gov/. Retrieved Sep 15, 2022.
- ↑ "The Railroad Commission of Texas". https://www.rrc.texas.gov/.
- ↑ "Public Utility Commission of Texas". Puc.state.tx.us. 2020-03-16. http://www.puc.state.tx.us. Retrieved 2022-08-13.
- ↑ "Utah Public Service Commission -". 2010-02-19. http://www.psc.state.ut.us/.
- ↑ "Department of Public Service". https://publicservice.vermont.gov/.
- ↑ "Home | Public Utility Commission". https://puc.vermont.gov/.
- ↑ "Virginia State Corporation Commission". http://www.scc.virginia.gov/.
- ↑ "United States Virgin Islands Public Services Commission". https://www.psc.vi.gov/.
- ↑ "Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission Home Page". http://www.wutc.wa.gov/.
- ↑ "Public Service Commission of West Virginia". http://www.psc.state.wv.us/.
- ↑ "PSC Homepage". https://psc.wi.gov/Pages/Home.aspx.
- ↑ "WY Public Service Commission". https://psc.wyo.gov/.
- ↑ "San Francisco Water Power Sewer | SFPUC". https://sfpuc.org/. Retrieved Sep 15, 2022.
- ↑ "The Public Utilities Commission of The Bahamas Home Page". http://www.pucbahamas.gov.bs/.
- ↑ "Belize Public Utilities Commission - Belize Public Utilities Commission". https://www.puc.bz/. Retrieved Sep 15, 2022.
- ↑ "Home". http://www.oocur.org/. Retrieved Sep 15, 2022.
- ↑ "Pagina de Ingreso a la SISS". http://www.siss.cl.
- ↑ "Unknown". http://www.crpuc.gov.cr.
- ↑ "Page d'accueil". https://www.cre.fr/. Retrieved Sep 15, 2022.
- ↑ "PURC". https://www.purc.com.gh/. Retrieved Sep 15, 2022.
- ↑ "Public Interest Program Unit (PIPU)". http://www.pucsl.gov.lk.
External links
- Public Service Commissioner (state executive office) - List of current commissioners from Ballotpedia
- List of regulatory commissions by state compiled by the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners.
Template:Public utilities commissions
