press releases
Contact: Regina L. Davis, 202-898-9382, rdavis@naruc.org
Dr. Carl Pechman Becomes New Director of NRRI
WASHINGTON—The National Regulatory Research Institute, along with the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners, is pleased to welcome new NRRI Director Carl Pechman, PhD. He succeeds, Rajnish Barua, PhD, who was hired recently as the executive director of the Delaware Public Service Commission.
Following an extensive national search, Dr. Pechman was selected to direct NRRI, which was founded 42 years ago to serve as the research arm for NARUC and our nation’s public utility commissions. Before joining NRRI, Pechman served as an economist/supervisory energy industry analyst for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and was assigned as a senior electricity advisor to the United States Department of Energy. He is a co-author of the DOE’s Quadrennial Energy Review and his wide-ranging experience includes a body of work that encompasses grid modernization, cost modeling, environmental analysis, market structures and rates. Dr. Pechman is the author of Regulating Power: The Economics of Electricity in the Information Age. His experience also includes 18 years as an economic supervisor on the staff of the New York Public Service Commission in addition to serving as economic adviser to the California State Assembly.
“We are fortunate to have someone of Dr. Pechman’s knowledge and regulatory acumen lead NRRI. He understands both the theoretical and very practical aspects of utility regulation,” said NARUC and NRRI Executive Director Greg White.
“Dr. Pechman’s record of accomplishment demonstrates that he has a deep understanding of public utilities and the strategic insight required to support NARUC members with relevant research and ideas to meet modern day regulatory challenges,” said North Carolina Commissioner and NRRI board chair ToNola D. Brown-Bland. “NRRI gets the data and provides critical analysis to assist regulators as they grapple with very complex subject areas.”
NRRI recently moved its offices to Washington, D.C., where, for the first time since its creation, it is co-located with NARUC—a move designed to facilitate more opportunities for collaboration, improved alignment of research with NARUC priorities and more focused interactions with NARUC members. In his new leadership role with NRRI, Pechman will build on the Institute’s established reputation for conducting independent research for state regulatory utility commissions that is current, detailed and insightful. Leading a team of NRRI researchers, he will work alongside NARUC’s department directors as a member of NARUC’s senior leadership staff.
“I look forward to working with the NRRI team to deliver cutting-edge support to our nation’s public utility commissions,” said Pechman. “Regulated industries are in a time of unparalleled change and I’m excited about expanding NRRI’s capabilities to help the regulatory community meet the demands of this transition."
Pechman is a graduate of Cornell University, where he earned a bachelor of arts in biology, a master of science in applied econometrics and quantitative analysis and a doctor of philosophy in resource economics.
###
About NRRI
NRRI is a non- profit organization founded by NARUC in 1976 to provide NARUC and members of NARUC with independent research on matters and subjects relevant to state and federal regulation of public utilities.
About NARUC
NARUC is a non-profit organization founded in 1889 whose members include the governmental agencies that are engaged in the regulation of utilities and carriers in the fifty States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. NARUC's member agencies regulate telecommunications, energy, and water utilities. NARUC represents the interests of State public utility commissions before the three branches of the Federal government.