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Mississippi Public Service Commission
| Mississippi Public Service Commission | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Office Type: | Partisan |
| Office website: | Official Link |
| Compensation: | $146,600 |
| 2025 FY Budget: | $5,481,816 |
| Total Seats: | 3 |
| Term limits: | None |
| Structure | |
| Length of term: | 4 years |
| Authority: | Mississippi Code, Title 77, Chapter 1 |
| Selection Method: | Elected |
| Current Officeholder(s) | |
| Chris Brown, Nelson Carr, De'Keither Stamps | |
| Elections | |
| Next election: | November 2, 2027 |
| Last election: | November 7, 2023 |
| Other Mississippi Executive Offices | |
| Governor • Lieutenant Governor • Secretary of State • Attorney General • Treasurer • Auditor • Superintendent of Education • Agriculture Commissioner • Insurance Commissioner • Executive Director of Environmental Quality • Executive Director of Employment Security • Public Service Commission • Transportation Commission | |
The Mississippi Public Service Commission is a three-member executive board in the Mississippi state government. The commission regulates telecommunications, electric, gas, water, and sewer utilities in the state of Mississippi. The commission was established in 1884.[1]
Current officeholder
| Office | Name | Party |
|---|---|---|
| Mississippi Public Service Commission Central District | De'Keither Stamps | Democratic |
| Mississippi Public Service Commission Northern District | Chris Brown | Republican |
| Mississippi Public Service Commission Southern District | Nelson Carr | Republican |
Authority
The Public Service Commission is created under Title 77-1-1 of the Mississippi Code.[2]
A public service commission, hereinafter referred to in this chapter as the commission, is hereby created, consisting of three (3) members, one (1) to be elected from each of the three (3) Supreme Court districts by the qualified electors of such district.
Qualifications
In order to serve on the Public Service Commission, a person must be:[3]
- A qualified elector
- At least 25 years of age
- A resident of the state for five years proceeding election
- A resident of the Supreme Court district in which election is sought
Elections
Public service commissioners are elected to four-year terms with no term limits. Mississippi belongs to the handful of states that hold off-year elections, that is, elections in off-numbered years that are neither presidential nor midterm years. In Mississippi's case, elections are held in the year after a midterm and before a presidential; thus, 2019, 2023, and 2027 are all public service commissioner election years.
2027
Northern District
There are no official candidates yet for this election.
General election
The general election will occur on November 2, 2027.
Central District
There are no official candidates yet for this election.
General election
The general election will occur on November 2, 2027.
Southern District
There are no official candidates yet for this election.
General election
The general election will occur on November 2, 2027.
Past elections
= candidate completed the 
Vacancies
Note: Ballotpedia's state executive officials project researches the constitutional or statutory text that details the process of filling vacancies for a state executive office. That information for the Mississippi Public Service Commission has not yet been added. After extensive research, we were unable to identify any relevant information on state official websites. If you have any additional information about this office for inclusion on this section and/or page, please email us.
Duties
As outlined on the PSC website, the duties of the commissioners are as follows:[1]
- Regulate telecommunications, electric, gas, water and sewer utilities
- Assure rates and charges for services are just and reasonable
- Assure service rendered is reasonably adequate
- Assure any facilities constructed or acquired are required for the convenience and necessity of the public
- Exercise safety jurisdiction over gas pipelines and area jurisdiction over all public utilities
- Answer complaints, make investigation and conduct formal and informal hearings.
Divisions
As of February 2021, the Public Service Commission had six main divisions.[4]
Natural Gas Division
- The Natural Gas Division "represents the public interest with regard to the regulation of investor-owned and certain municipal natural gas utilities in Mississippi."
Electric Division
- The Electric Division "represents the public interest with regard to the regulation of the two major investor-owned electric utilities in the state, Entergy Mississippi, Inc. and Mississippi Power Company."
Sewer Division
- The Sewer Division "investigates all sewer filings before the Public Service Commission and makes recommendations thereon. Filings reviewed include applications for construction of facilities, applications to serve customers, and notices to revise the rates and charges authorized by the Commission."
Water Division
- The Water Division "investigates all water filings before the Public Service Commission and makes recommendations thereon. Filings reviewed include applications for construction of facilities, applications to serve customers, and notices to revise the rates and charges authorized by the Commission."
Telecommunications Division
- The Telecommunications Division "represents the public interest with regard to the regulation of incumbent and competitive local exchange carriers and intrastate long distance carriers in Mississippi."
Pipeline Safety Division
- The Pipeline Safety Division's mission is "to protect the public and environment from the accidental release of natural gas with a compliance program that promotes educational standards for the industry and contributes to the health and security of Mississippi."
State budget
- See also: Mississippi state budget and finances
The Public Service Commission's budget for fiscal year 2025 was $5,481,816.[5]
Compensation
- See also: Compensation of state executive officers
2023
In 2023, each commissioner received a salary of $146,600, according to the Council of State Governments.[6]
2022
In 2022, each commissioner received a salary of $135,000, according to the Council of State Governments.[7]
2021
In 2021, each commissioner received a salary of $135,000, according to the Council of State Governments.[8]
2020
In 2020, each commissioner received a salary of $120,745, according to the Council of State Governments.[9]
2019
In 2019, each commissioner received a salary of $120,745, according to the Council of State Governments.[10]
2018
In 2018, each commissioner received a salary of $120,745, according to the Council of State Governments.[11]
2017
In 2017, each commissioner received a salary of $108,850, according to the Council of State Governments.[12]
2016
In 2016, each commissioner received a salary of $108,850, according to the Council of State Governments.[13]
2015
In 2015, each commissioner received a salary of $108,850, according to the Council of State Governments.[14]
2014
In 2014, each commissioner received a salary of $141,505, according to the Council of State Governments.[15]
2013
In 2013, each commissioner received a salary of $141,505, according to the Council of State Governments.[16]
2012
In 2012, each commissioner received a salary of $141,505, according to the Council of State Governments.[17]
Historical officeholders
Note: Ballotpedia's state executive officials project researches state official websites for chronological lists of historical officeholders; information for the Mississippi Public Service 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 Mississippi Public Service Commission. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
Contact information
Phone: 601-961-5434
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Mississippi Public Service Commission, "Mississippi Public Service Commission," accessed February 1, 2021
- ↑ Mississippi Secretary of State, "Mississippi Law," accessed February 1, 2021
- ↑ Mississippi Blue Book 2008 – 2012, "Public Service Commission," accessed February 1, 2021
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedhome - ↑ State of Mississippi, "Budget Bulletin Fiscal Year 2025," accessed January 21, 2025
- ↑ 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 February 1, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2019," accessed February 1, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2018," accessed February 1, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2017," accessed February 1, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2016," accessed February 1, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2015," accessed February 1, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," accessed February 1, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Table 4.11 Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," accessed February 1, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Table 4.11 Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," accessed February 1, 2021
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