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BOARD/COMMISSION:  Public Utilities Commission

(PUC)

Address

121 7th Place E., # 350
St. Paul, MN
55101-2147

Web Site

Supporting Entity/Enabling Legislation Supported by Public Utilities Commission

ENABLING LEGISLATION
MS 216, 216A, 216B, 216E, 216F, 216G, 216H, 216I, & 237
Enabled: 08-01-1980
Revisor of Statutes Link

Chair and Contact
CONTACT
Sasha Bergman
(651) 201-2245
CHAIR
Katie Sieben
(651) 296-0406
TITLE
NAME
EMAIL
PHONE
PRIMARY
Executive Secretary
William Seuffert
Will.Seuffert@state.mn.us
(651) 201-2217
No
Executive Secretary
Sasha Bergman
Sasha.Bergman@state.mn.us
(651) 201-2245
Yes
TITLE
NAME
EMAIL
PHONE
PRIMARY
Chair
Katie Sieben
katie.sieben@state.mn.us
(651) 296-0406
Yes
Membership
  • The commission is a five-member body with legislative and quasi-judicial functions.
  • No more than three members may be from the same political party.
  • At least one member must have been domiciled at the time of appointment outside the seven-county metropolitan area.
  • Consideration is given to persons learned in the law or persons who have engaged in engineering, public accounting, or property and utility evaluation, finance, physical or natural sciences, production agriculture, or natural resources, as well as being representative of the general public.
  • Members may not be in the employ of or holding any official relation to or pecuniarily interested in any individual proprietorship, firm, co-partnership, corporation or association, the activities of which are wholly or partially subject to regulation by the Public Utilities Commission, nor serve on or under any committee of any political party.
  • Members may not receive any income, other than dividends or other earnings from a mutual fund or trust if these earnings do not constitute a significant portion of the person's income, directly or indirectly from any public utility or other organization subject to regulation by the commission.
  • No person is eligible to be appointed as a member if the person has been employed with an entity, or an affiliated company of an entity, that is subject to rate regulation by the commission within one year from the date when the person's term on the commission will begin.
  • Members may not obtain employment from an entity, or an affiliate, that is subject to rate regulation by the commission until at least one year after leaving the commission.
  • Members are prohibited from ex parte communications with a person who is a party or a participant to a pending disputed proceeding or rulemaking before the Commission regarding any material issue related to such proceeding.
  • Members are also subject to code of conduct rules that specifically apply to the Public Utilities Commission.
Member Info

COMPENSATION

  • Per Diem: $0.00
  • Other Compensation: $168,919 per year

MEMBERSHIP DETAILS

  • Requires Older Member - no
  • Requires Senate Approval - yes
  • Members file campaign finance and disclosure - yes
Entity Powers and Duties, Activity Summary
The commission regulates the rates and services of electric, natural gas, and local landline telephone companies, as well as need and locational certification for large energy facilities. It does so through public hearings, contested case hearings, rulemaking hearings and resolving informal complaints.

ACTIVITY SUMMARY

The commission's charge is broad: issuing certificates of need, as well as site or route permits, for large energy facilities; setting general rates and terms for utility services; review and approval of plans for electric generation and transmission; resolution of service territory disputes; determining the economic effect on the environment of electric generation; implementing laws designed to deregulate telephone services; and resolving complaints about anticompetitive conduct, as well as, customer services; and administration of the Telephone Assistance, Lifeline, and Cold Weather Rule programs.
Meeting Information
Meetings typically last: 3+
Meeting Frequency: The commission has regular weekly agenda meetings. For certain proceedings the commission will hold a special meeting. The commission also has regular planning meetings.

Meetings are held at:
Meetings are usually held at the commission's downtown St. Paul office. A few meetings may be held in Greater MN during the course of the year.


Fiscal Information
Annual Staff Hours: 142443.00
Total Appropriations: $11,437,000.00
Appropriations Description: General Fund
Fiscal Year Expenses: $11,437,000.00

Expenses Description:

Commission staff and support costs
Open Positions (0)
No Open Positions
NAME POSITION APPLICATION DATE
Ms Jessica Fishman Member 11/14/2025
Erin Horne McKinney Member 1/13/2026
Mr. Joseph Sullivan Member 11/13/2025
Andre Winters Member 12/21/2025
No pending appointments found.
POSITION/SEAT
APPOINTING AUTHORITY
MEMBER NAME
STATUS
TERM END
Direct Appointments
 No Direct Appointments were found.
Current Members (5)
POSITION/SEAT
APPOINTING AUTHORITY
MEMBER NAME
STATUS
TERM END
Member
Member #1
Governor
Hwikwon Ham
Filled
01/03/2028
Member #2
Governor
Mr. Joseph Sullivan
Filled
01/05/2032
Member #3
Governor
Ms. Katie Sieben
Filled
01/01/2029
Member #4
Governor
Audrey Partridge
Filled
01/06/2031
Member #5
Governor
John Tuma
Filled
01/04/2027
ALL BOARDS/COMMISSIONS

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