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Minnesota Public Utilities Commission
| Minnesota Public Utilities Commission | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Office Type: | Nonpartisan |
| Office website: | Official Link |
| Compensation: | $140,000 |
| 2024-25 FY Budget: | $26,104,000 |
| Total Seats: | 5 |
| Term limits: | None |
| Structure | |
| Length of term: | 6 years |
| Authority: | Minnesota Statutes 216A.03 |
| Selection Method: | Appointed by the governor |
| Current Officeholder(s) | |
| Hwikwon Ham, Audrey Partridge, Katie Sieben, Joseph K. Sullivan, John Tuma | |
| Other Minnesota Executive Offices | |
| Governor • Lieutenant Governor • Secretary of State • Attorney General • Treasurer • Auditor • Commissioner of Education • Agriculture Commissioner • Commerce Commissioner • Natural Resources Commissioner • Labor Commissioner • Public Utilities Commission | |
The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission is a five-member board that regulates the electric, natural gas and telephones industries in Minnesota.
The mission of the commission is "to create and maintain a regulatory environment that ensures safe, adequate and efficient utility services at fair, reasonable rates consistent with State telecommunications and energy policies."[1]
Current officeholder
The current officeholders are:
- Hwikwon Ham (nonpartisan)
- Audrey Partridge (nonpartisan)
- Katie Sieben (nonpartisan)
- Joseph K. Sullivan (nonpartisan)
- John Tuma (nonpartisan)
Authority
The Minnesota Public Utilities' powers are derived from Chapter 216A of the Minnesota Statutes.
Chapter 216A , Section 01:
| ...The Public Utilities Commission shall have and possess all of the rights and powers and perform all of the duties vested in it by this chapter and those formerly vested by law in the Railroad and Warehouse Commission.[2] |
Qualifications
Chapter 216A, Section 03 of the Minnesota Statutes establishes the qualifications of the commission:
- no more than three commissioners of the same political party.
- at least one must live outside of the seven-county metropolitan area.
- have knowledge or work experience with law, engineering, public accounting, property and utility valuation, finance, physical or natural sciences, production agriculture, or natural resources.
- representative of the general public.
|
...Not more than three commissioners shall belong to the same political party. At least one commissioner must have been domiciled at the time of appointment outside the seven-county metropolitan area. If the membership of the commission after July 31, 1986, does not consist of at least one member domiciled at the time of appointment outside the seven-county metropolitan area, the membership shall conform to this requirement following normal attrition of the present commissioners. The governor when selecting commissioners shall give consideration to persons learned in the law or persons who have engaged in the profession of engineering, public accounting, property and utility valuation, finance, physical or natural sciences, production agriculture, or natural resources as well as being representative of the general public. For purposes of this subdivision, "seven-county metropolitan area" means Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey, Scott, and Washington Counties.[3] |
Appointments
Per 216A.03 of the Minnesota Statutes, the governor appoints the public utilities commissioners to six year terms with the advice and consent of the Minnesota State Senate.[4]
Vacancies
Vacancies in the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission are handled under the procedure outlined in Chapter 15, Section 0575 of the Minnesota Statutes.
Commissioners can be removed from office for cause, for which there must be a notice and hearing. They can also be removed after missing three consecutive meetings. A vacancy can also be created by a member's death, retirement, etc. These vacancies can be filled for the remainder of the unexpired term of the former officer by a gubernatorial appointment with the advice and consent of the senate.[5]
Duties
The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (PUC) regulates three cornerstone service industries in Minnesota's economy, i.e., electricity, natural gas, and telephone.[1]
Divisions
- Updated January 25, 2021
- Attorneys General
- Admin Services
- Business Services
- Consumer Affairs
- Legal
- Policy Analysis
- Regulatory Analysis[6]
State budget
- See also: Minnesota state budget and finances
The Public Utilities Commission's budget for fiscal year 2024-2025 was $26,104,000.[7]
Compensation
- See also: Compensation of state executive officers
2023
In 2023, each commissioner received a salary of $140,000, according to the Council of State Governments.[8]
2022
In 2022, each commissioner received a salary of $140,000, according to the Council of State Governments.[9]
2021
In 2021, each commissioner received a salary of $140,000, according to the Council of State Governments.[10]
2020
In 2020, each commissioner received a salary of $140,000, according to the Council of State Governments.[11]
2019
In 2019, each commissioner received a salary of $140,000, according to the Council of State Governments.[12]
2018
In 2018, each commissioner received a salary of $140,000, according to the Council of State Governments.[13]
2017
In 2017, each commissioner received a salary of $140,000, according to the Council of State Governments.[14]
2016
In 2016, each commissioner received a salary of $139,464, according to the Council of State Governments.[15]
2015
In 2015, each commissioner received a salary of $124,530, according to the Council of State Governments.[16]
2014
In 2014, each commissioner was paid an estimated $97,115, according to the Council of State Governments.[17]
2013
In 2013, each commissioner was paid an estimated $88,448, according to the Council of State Governments.[18]
2010
In 2010, each commissioner was paid an estimated $88,448, according to the Council of State Governments.[19]
Historical officeholders
Note: Ballotpedia's state executive officials project researches state official websites for chronological lists of historical officeholders; information for the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission has not yet been added because the information was unavailable on the relevant state official websites, or we are currently in the process of formatting the list for this office. If you have any additional information about this office for inclusion on this section and/or page, please email us.
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Minnesota Public Utilities Commission. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
Contact information
Minnesota Public Utilities Commission
121 7th Place E., Suite 350
Saint Paul, MN 55101
Phone: (651) 296-0406 or 1 (800) 657-3782
Email: consumer.puc@state.mn.us
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Minnesota Public Utilities Commission, "About Us," accessed January 25, 2021
- ↑ Minnesota Statutes, "Chapter 216A, Section 01," accessed January 25, 2021
- ↑ Minnesota Statutes, "Chapter 216A, Section 03, Subdivision 1," accessed January 25, 2021
- ↑ Minnesota Legislature, "2020 Minnesota Statutes," accessed January 25, 2021
- ↑ Minnesota Statutes, "Chapter 15, Section 0575, Subdivision 4," accessed January 25, 2021
- ↑ Minnesota Public Utilities Commission, "Staff Directory," accessed January 25, 2021
- ↑ Minnesota State Senate, "2023 Fiscal Review," accessed December 6, 2023
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Book of the States 2023 Table 4.11: Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," accessed January 21, 2025
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Book of the States 2022 Table 4.11: Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," provided to Ballotpedia by CSG personnel
- ↑ Issuu, "The Book of the States 2021," accessed September 22, 2022
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2020," accessed January 25, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2019," accessed January 25, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2018," accessed January 25, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2017," accessed January 25, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2016," accessed January 25, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2015," accessed January 25, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," accessed January 25, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Table 4.11 Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," accessed January 25, 2021
- ↑ The Council of State Governments, "The Book of States 2010 Table 4.11," accessed January 25, 2021
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