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. 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)
- British Columbia Utilities Commission
- Manitoba Public Utilities Board
- New Brunswick Energy and Utilities Board
- Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board
- Ontario Energy Board
- PEI Regulatory and Appeals Commission
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), utilities commission, utility regulatory commission (URC), or public service commission (PSC) 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 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.
PUCs in the US by state
Local PUCs
Jurisdiction | Organization | Members | Selection of commissioners |
---|---|---|---|
San Francisco | San Francisco Public Utilities Commission | 3 | Nominated by the Mayor and confirmed by the SF Board of Supervisors |
Other countries
This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items. (April 2023) |
- Americas
- Bahamas: Bahamas Public Utilities Commission
- Belize: Belize Public Utilities Commission
- Caribbean: Organisation of Caribbean Utility Regulators (OOCUR)
- Chile: Superintendencia de Servicios Sanitarios de Chile
- Costa Rica: Costa Rica Public Utilities Commission
- Dominican Republic: c Utilities Commission
- Others
- France: Commission de Régulation de l'Energie
- Ghana: Public Utility Regulation Council of Ghana (PURC)
- Sri Lanka: Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka
References
- Alleckna, Matthias (2020-02-10). "A Guide to All Provincial Utility Commissions in Canada". EnergyRates.ca. Retrieved 2023-04-19.
- "Board of Commissioners of Public Utilities". www.pub.nf.ca. Retrieved Sep 15, 2022.
- "Welcome to the British Columbia Utilties Commission | British Columbia Utilities Commission - BCUC". www.bcuc.com. Retrieved Sep 15, 2022.
- "Province of Manitoba | v1 - PUB". www.pubmanitoba.ca. Retrieved Sep 15, 2022.
- "New Brunswick Energy & Utilities Board - Home". nbeub.ca. Retrieved Sep 15, 2022.
- "Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board | Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board". nsuarb.novascotia.ca. Retrieved Sep 15, 2022.
- "Home | Ontario Energy Board". www.oeb.ca. Retrieved Sep 15, 2022.
- Toolkit, Web Experience (Jan 11, 2018). "Island Regulatory and Appeals Commission". www.princeedwardisland.ca. Retrieved Sep 15, 2022.
- "Home". NARUC.
- "Utility monopolies still reign in the South". Southern Environmental Law Center. January 29, 2024.
- "LPSC - Home". www.lpsc.louisiana.gov. Retrieved Sep 15, 2022.
- "Home | MISSISSIPPI PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION". www.psc.ms.gov. Retrieved Sep 15, 2022.
- http://psc.mt.gov/
- "Nebraska Public Service Commission". psc.nebraska.gov. Retrieved Sep 15, 2022.
- "Home". www.nm-prc.org. Retrieved Sep 15, 2022.
- "APSC – New Alabama PSC Website". psc.alabama.gov. Retrieved Sep 15, 2022.
- "Arizona Corporation Commission". cc.state.az.us. 2010-03-22. Archived from the original on 2010-03-23. Retrieved 2022-08-13.
- "Home | Georgia Public Commission". psc.ga.gov. Retrieved Sep 15, 2022.
- "Home: Public Service Commission, North Dakota". psc.nd.gov. Retrieved Sep 15, 2022.
- "Oklahoma Corporation Commission Home Page". Archived from the original on 2007-12-26. Retrieved 2007-12-27.
- "South Dakota Public Utilities Commission". puc.sd.gov. Retrieved Sep 15, 2022.
- "Welcome to Public Service Commission of South Carolina". psc.state.sc.us. Archived from the original on 2007-12-17. Retrieved 2022-08-13.
- http://www.scc.virginia.gov/
- "About the Regulatory Commission of Alaska". rca.alaska.gov. Retrieved 2023-04-19.
- "Arkansas Public Service Commission - Homepage". state.ar.us.
- "California Public Utilities Commission". cpuc.ca.gov.
- "Colorado Public Utilities Commission Home Page". Archived from the original on 2012-11-06. Retrieved 2020-12-17.
- "Public Utilities Regulatory Authority". CT.gov - Connecticut's Official State Website.
- Delaware, The State of. "Delaware.gov - Official Website of the State of Delaware". delaware.gov - Official Website of the State of Delaware.
- "DCPSC - Home". dcpsc.org.
- "Welcome to the PSC Web Site - Florida Public Service Commission". psc.state.fl.us.
- "Public Utilities Commission". puc.hawaii.gov.
- "IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION HOMEPAGE". 2010-02-25. Archived from the original on 2010-02-25.
- "Illinois Commerce Commission". icc.illinois.gov.
- "Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission". 2006-07-30. Archived from the original on 2006-07-30.
- "Iowa Utilities Board (IUB) | Welcome". 2008-09-15. Archived from the original on 2008-09-15.
- "Kansas Corporation Commission". kcc.ks.gov.
- "KY PSC Home". psc.ky.gov.
- "Maine Public Utilities Commission Homepage | MPUC". maine.gov.
- @ColumbiaGasMD. "PSC 01-01-14 - Maryland Public Service Commission". Psc.state.md.us. Retrieved 2022-08-13.
- "Department of Public Utilities | Mass.gov". mass.gov.
- "Department of Telecommunications and Cable | Mass.gov". mass.gov.
- "MPSC". michigan.gov.
- "ShieldSquare Captcha". mn.gov.
- "Missouri Public Service Commission Redirect". 2002-06-04. Archived from the original on 2002-06-04.
- "State of Nevada -". 2007-06-12. Archived from the original on 2007-06-12.
- "New Hampshire Public Utilities Commission". puc.nh.gov.
- "NJ Board of Public Utilities". nj.gov.
- "NYS Department of Public Service". dps.ny.gov.
- "NCUC Home Page". 2010-04-16. Archived from the original on 2010-04-16.
- "Public Utilities Commission of Ohio". www.puco.ohio.gov. Retrieved Sep 15, 2022.
- http://www.puc.state.or.us/ Archived 2005-10-13 at the Wayback Machine
- "Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission | Regulating Utility Services". PA PUC.
- "RIPUC". ripuc.ri.gov.
- "The Railroad Commission of Texas". www.rrc.texas.gov. Retrieved 2023-12-08.
- "Public Utility Commission of Texas". Puc.state.tx.us. 2020-03-16. Retrieved 2022-08-13.
- "Utah Public Service Commission -". 2010-02-19. Archived from the original on 2010-02-19.
- "Department of Public Service". publicservice.vermont.gov.
- "Home | Public Utility Commission". puc.vermont.gov.
- https://www.psc.vi.gov/
- "Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission Home Page". Archived from the original on 2010-04-01.
- "Public Service Commission of West Virginia". psc.state.wv.us.
- "PSC Homepage". psc.wi.gov.
- "WY Public Service Commission". psc.wyo.gov.
- "San Francisco Water Power Sewer | SFPUC". sfpuc.org. Retrieved Sep 15, 2022.
- "The Public Utilities Commission of The Bahamas Home Page". Archived from the original on 2008-10-17. Retrieved 2005-10-15.
- "Belize Public Utilities Commission - Belize Public Utilities Commission". www.puc.bz. Retrieved Sep 15, 2022.
- "Home". Retrieved Sep 15, 2022.
- http://www.siss.cl
- http://www.crpuc.gov.cr
- "Page d'accueil". www.cre.fr. Retrieved Sep 15, 2022.
- "PURC". www.purc.com.gh. Retrieved Sep 15, 2022.
- 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.
Public utilities commissions in the United States | |
---|---|
United States |
|