In the United States, it is a governing body of a utility. In Canada, it is a utility, not a regulatory body.

Canada

In Canada, a public utilities commission (PUC) is a

public utility A public utility company (usually just utility) is an organization that maintains the infrastructure for a public service (often also providing a service using that infrastructure). Public utilities are subject to forms of public control and r ...

owned and operated by a municipal or local government under the oversight of one or more elected commissioners. It is not a regulatory body. Its role is analogous to a

municipal utility district A district is a type of administrative division that, in some countries, is managed by the local government. Across the world, areas known as "districts" vary greatly in size, spanning regions or counties, several municipalities, subdivisions ...

public utility district A district is a type of administrative division that, in some countries, is managed by the local government. Across the world, areas known as "districts" vary greatly in size, spanning regions or counties, several municipalities, subdivisions o ...

in the US. *

Brantford Public Utilities Commission {{short description, Former municipal commission in Brantford, Ontario, Canada The Brantford Public Utilities Commission was the municipal public utilities commission for Brantford, Ontario, Canada. Once a powerful body in the city, it was dismantl ...

* Kitchener Public Utilities Commission

Regulatory bodies

The utility that is being regulated 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.

Countries

;Americas * Caribbean: Organisation of Caribbean Utility Regulators (OOCUR) * Costa Rica: Costa Rica Public Utilities Commission *Dominican Republic: c Utilities Commission * Bahamas: Bahamas Public Utilities Commission * Belize:

Belize Public Utilities Commission Belize Electricity Limited (BEL) is the primary distributor of electricity in Belize, Central America. Aggregate energy sold was approximately 588.4 gigawatt hours (GWh) in 2019, up from 554.4 GWh in 2018. The Company served a customer base of ov ...

* Chile: Superintendencia de Servicios Sanitarios de Chile ;Europe * France: Commission de Régulation de l'Energie ;Africa * Ghana: Public Utility Regulation Council of Ghana (PURC) ;Asia * Sri Lanka:

Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka The Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (abbreviated PUCSL) ( Sinhala: ශ්‍රී ලංකා මහජන උපයෝගිතා කොමිෂන් සභාව ''Śrī Laṃkā mahajana upayōgithā komishan sabhāwa''; Tamil: � ...

United States

In the United States, a utilities commission, utility regulatory commission (URC), public utilities commission (PUC), or public service commission (PSC) is a governing body that regulates the rates and services of a

, such as an

electric utility An electric utility is a company in the electric power industry (often a public utility) that engages in electricity generation and distribution of electricity for sale generally in a regulated market. The electrical utility industry is a major pr ...

. 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 The National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC) is the national association representing the state public service commissioners who regulate essential utility services, including energy, telecommunications, and water. NARUC me ...

is the national association representing the interests of the public utilities commissions in all 50 states. The

Interstate Commerce Commission The Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) was a regulatory agency in the United States created by the Interstate Commerce Act of 1887. The agency's original purpose was to regulate railroads (and later trucking) to ensure fair rates, to eliminat ...

and

Federal Communications Commission The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is an independent agency of the United States federal government that regulates communications by radio, television, wire, satellite, and cable across the United States. The FCC maintains jurisdiction ...

perform similar functions in their respective fields in the United States.

Elected by district

Louisiana Public Service Commission The Louisiana Public Service Commission (LPSC) is an independent regulatory agency which manages public utilities and motor carriers in Louisiana. The commission has five elected members chosen in single-member districts for staggered six-year te ...

Mississippi Public Service Commission The Mississippi Public Service Commission regulates telecommunications, electric, gas, water and sewer utilities in the U.S. state of Mississippi. The Commission is an elected body of three commissioners, with one commissioner elected by voters in ...

Montana Public Service Commission The Montana Public Service Commission (PSC) is a quasi-judicial regulatory board of elected officials in the U.S. state of Montana. The PSC regulates private, investor-owned natural gas, electric, telephone, water and private sewer companies doing ...

Nebraska Public Service Commission The Nebraska Public Service Commission regulates railroads, household goods and passenger carriers, telephone companies, grain warehouses and construction of manufactured housing (mobile homes). The Nebraska PSC is composed of five commissioners. ...

New Mexico Public Regulation Commission The New Mexico Public Regulation Commission RCis a regulatory authority in New Mexico charged with the responsibility of seeing that utility customers have "fair and reasonable rates, and to assure reasonable and adequate services to the public as ...

Elected at-large

* Alabama Public Service Commission *

Arizona Corporation Commission The Arizona Corporation Commission is the Public Utilities Commission of the State of Arizona, established by Article 15 of the Arizona Constitution. Arizona is one of only fourteen states with elected commissioners. The Arizona Constitution exp ...

Georgia Public Service Commission The Georgia Public Service Commission (PSC) is a statutory organ of the state government of Georgia; elected among five commission districts, the board consists of a Chairman, a Vice-chairman, and three Commissioners. PSC regulates telecommunica ...

New England Conference of Public Utilities New is an adjective referring to something recently made, discovered, or created. New or NEW may refer to: Music * New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz Albums and EPs * ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013 * ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator, ...

North Dakota Public Service Commission The North Dakota Public Service Commission is a constitutional agency that maintains various degrees of statutory authority over utilities, telecommunications, railroads, grain elevators, pipeline safety, and other functions in North Dakota. Establ ...

Oklahoma Corporation Commission The Oklahoma Corporation Commission is the public utilities commission of the U.S state of Oklahoma run by three statewide elected commissioners. Authorized to employ more than 400 employees, it regulates oil and gas drilling, utilities and teleph ...

South Dakota Public Utilities Commission The South Dakota Public Utilities Commission (PUC) regulates the energy, Telecommunications and grain warehouse companies located in South Dakota. The PUC keeps track of the Do Not Call Registry. Commissioners are elected to six-year terms in stag ...

Legislative appointment

South Carolina Public Service Commission The South Carolina Public Service Commission (PSC) is a regulatory agency that regulates public utilities in the state of South Carolina, including electric power, telecommunications, natural gas, and water & wastewater. In addition, the PSC ...

Virginia State Corporation Commission The State Corporation Commission, or SCC, is a Virginia (USA) regulatory agency whose authority encompasses utilities, insurance, state-chartered financial institutions, securities, retail franchising, and railroads. It is the state's central filin ...

Appointed by the governor

* Regulatory Commission of Alaska * Arkansas Public Service Commission *

California Public Utilities Commission The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC or PUC) is a regulatory agency that regulates privately owned public utilities in the state of California, including electric power, telecommunications, natural gas and water companies. In addition ...

San Francisco Public Utilities Commission The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) is a public agency of the City and County of San Francisco that provides water, wastewater, and electric power services to the city and an additional 1.9 million customers within three San Franc ...

nominated by the

Mayor of San Francisco The mayor of the City and County of San Francisco is the head of the executive branch of the San Francisco city and county government. The officeholder has the duty to enforce city laws, and the power to either approve or veto bills passed by t ...

and confirmed by the

San Francisco Board of Supervisors The San Francisco Board of Supervisors is the legislative body within the government of the City and County of San Francisco. Government and politics The City and County of San Francisco is a consolidated city-county, being simultaneously a c ...

* Colorado Public Utilities Commission * Connecticut **

Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) is a state agency in the US state of Connecticut. The department oversees the state's natural resources and environment and regulates public utilities and energy policy. It ...

** Connecticut Public Utilities Regulatory Authority ** Connecticut Siting Council * Delaware Public Service Commission *

District of Columbia Public Service Commission The District of Columbia Public Service Commission (formerly the District of Columbia Public Utilities Commission) is an independent quasi-judicial body and regulatory agency responsible for regulating landline telephone, electricity, and gas util ...

Florida Public Service Commission The Florida Public Service Commission (FPSC) regulates investor-owned electric, natural gas, and water and wastewater utilities. The FPSC facilitates competitive markets in the telecommunications industry, has authority over intercarrier disputes ...

Hawaii Public Utilities Commission The Hawaii Public Utilities Commission (HPUC) is a public utilities commission, a quasi-judicial tribunal, which regulates public service companies operating in the U.S. state of Hawaii. In 2017 HPUC authorized smart inverters to increase grid s ...

Idaho Public Utilities Commission The Idaho Public Utilities Commission is a public utilities commission, a quasi-judicial tribunal, which regulates investor-owned or privately owned utilities that provide gas, water, electricity, or telephone service for profit in the U.S. state ...

Illinois Commerce Commission The Illinois Commerce Commission is a quasi-judicial tribunal that regulates public utility services in the U.S. state of Illinois. The mission of the ICC is "to pursue an appropriate balance between the interest of consumers and existing and emer ...

Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission The Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission (IURC) is the public utilities commission of the state of Indiana, led by five commissioners appointed by the governor. The commission regulates electric, natural gas, telecommunications, steam, water an ...

Iowa Utilities Board The Iowa Utilities Board (IUB) is a 3-member public utilities commission, with beginnings in 1878. It is a quasi-judicial tribunal, which regulates services and rates of electric, natural gas, water and telecommunication providers in the U.S. state ...

Kansas Corporation Commission The Kansas Corporation Commission (KCC) is the public utilities commission of the state of Kansas run by three Commissioners appointed by the Governor with the approval of the Senate. The Commission has the responsibility of ensuring that natural g ...

Kentucky Public Service Commission The Kentucky Public Service Commission is the public utilities commission for the State of Kentucky. The commission is a quasi-judicial regulatory tribunal. It regulates the intrastate rates and services of investor-owned electric, natural gas, te ...

* Maine Public Utilities Commission *

Maryland Public Service Commission The Maryland Public Service Commission (PSC) is an independent administrative agency within the state government which regulates public utilities and certain taxi cab and other passenger services in Maryland. Similar to other state public utilities ...

Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities The Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities is one of two Public Utilities Commissions of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, in the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs. There are currently three members of the commission. I ...

** Massachusetts Department of Telecommunications and Cable *

Michigan Public Service Commission The Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) is a regulatory agency which regulates public utilities in the state of Michigan, including electric power, telecommunications, and natural gas services. The MPSC's headquarters are located in Lansing, ...

Minnesota Public Utilities Commission The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (PUC) is the consumer protection agency in the U.S. state of Minnesota charged with the regulation of public utilities such as electric Electricity is the set of physical phenomena associated wi ...

Missouri Public Service Commission The Missouri Public Service Commission regulates investor-owned telephone, electric, natural gas, steam, water, and sewer utilities in the state of Missouri. Manufacturers and retail dealers who sell new and used manufactured homes and modular un ...

Nevada Public Utilities Commission The Public Utilities Commission of Nevada supervises and regulates the operation and maintenance of Public utility, utility services in Nevada. The agency has two headquarters, one in Carson City, Nevada, Carson City () and one in Las Vegas, Nevada ...

* New Hampshire Public Utilities Commission *

New Jersey Board of Public Utilities The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU) is a regulatory authority in New Jersey "with authority to oversee the regulated utilities, which in turn provide critical services such as natural gas, electricity, water, telecommunications and ca ...

New York Public Service Commission The New York Public Service Commission is the public utilities commission of the New York state government that regulates and oversees the electric, gas, water, and telecommunication industries in New York as part of the Department of Public Ser ...

North Carolina Utilities Commission The North Carolina Utilities Commission is a government agency that regulates the various utilities of the state of North Carolina. The Commission also regulates household goods transportation, buses, brokers and ferryboats. The Commission consis ...

Public Utilities Commission of Ohio The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) is the public utilities commission of the U.S. state of Ohio, charged with the regulation of utility service providers such as those of electricity, natural gas, and telecommunications as well as railr ...

* Oregon Public Utility Commission *

Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) is the public utility commission in Pennsylvania. It is composed of five commissioners, appointed by the Governor with the consent of the state Senate. The PUC oversees public utility and services opera ...

* Rhode Island Public Utilities Commission *

Tennessee Public Service Commission The Tennessee Public Service Commission, also called Tennessee Railroad and Public Utilities Commission, was a three-member elected body which regulated private utilities, trucking firms, and railroads within the U.S. state of Tennessee. It was dis ...

(1897-1996) **

Tennessee Regulatory Authority The Tennessee Public Utility Commission (TPUC) is the Tennessee governmental unit charged with the responsibility of setting rates and service standards for privately owned telephone, natural gas, electric, and water utilities. History The Tennes ...

(since 1996) * Texas Public Utility Commission * Utah Public Service Commission * Vermont ** Vermont Department of Public Service ** Vermont Public Utility Commission * Virgin Islands Public Services Commission *

Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission The Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission (UTC) is a three-member board appointed by the Governor of Washington and confirmed by the Washington State Senate to six-year terms. The purpose of the UTC is to regulate the rates, services, ...

West Virginia Public Service Commission The Public Service Commission of West Virginia is the Public Utilities Commission of the State of West Virginia, U.S.A. Operation Chairman Charlotte Lane, Renee Larrick, and Bill Raney are the three commissioners. These positions are political ...

Public Service Commission of Wisconsin The Public Service Commission of Wisconsin is an independent regulatory agency responsible for regulating public utilities in the energy, telecommunications, gas and water companies located in U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of 2021, the agency regul ...

Wyoming Public Service Commission The Wyoming Public Service Commission is a public utilities commission, a quasi-judicial tribunal, which regulates natural gas, electric, telecommunications, water, and pipeline services in the U.S. state of Wyoming. Commission members *Chris Petri ...

Canada

Ontario Energy Board The Ontario Energy Board regulates natural gas and electricity utilities in the province of Ontario, Canada. This includes setting rates, and licensing all participants in the electricity sector including the Independent Electricity System Operato ...

British Columbia Utilities Commission The British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC) is an independent agency of the government of the Province of British Columbia responsible for regulating rates and standards of service quality. The Commission's primary responsibility is the regula ...

* Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board * Board of Commissioners of Public Utilities * Island Regulatory and Appeals Commission * New Brunswick Energy and Utilities Board * Manitoba Public Utilities Board

References

External links

Public Service Commissioner (state executive office)
- List of current commissioners from

Ballotpedia Ballotpedia is a nonprofit and nonpartisan online political encyclopedia that covers federal, state, and local politics, elections, and public policy in the United States. The website was founded in 2007. Ballotpedia is sponsored by the Lucy Bur ...

List of regulatory commissions
by state compiled by the

. {{authority control Economics of regulation Public utilities Government agencies by type