Contact: Regina Davis, 202-898-9382, rdavis@naruc.org

NARUC President Wagner Appoints Washington UTC Commissioners Rendahl and Balasbas to Lead Electricity and Pipeline Committees

WASHINGTON (July 25, 2019) — National Association of Regulatory Commissioners President Nick Wagner announced new chairs for the Committee on Electricity and Subcommittee on Pipeline Safety at the Summer Policy Summit in Indianapolis, appointing—respectively—Commissioner Ann Rendahl and Commissioner Jay Balasbas, both of the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission.

Rendahl replaces former committee chair, Judge Judith Jagdmann, chair of the Virginia State Corporation Commission, who now serves on NARUC’s Executive Committee, along with the Board of Directors.  

Rendahl served previously as vice-chair of the Committee on Electricity, is a member of the Committee on Critical Infrastructure and also represents NARUC as a member of the Electric Power Research Institute's Advisory Council through August 2022. Rendahl was the director of policy and legislation for UTC and worked in the Administrative Law Division as director and as an administrative law judge for the; she also was an assistant attorney general for the Utilities and Transportation Division. 

Rendahl is a graduate of Wellesley College and received a master's degree in public policy from the Graduate School of Public Policy at the University of California, Berkeley. She received her law degree from Hastings College of the Law, at the University of California, San Francisco.

“I’m honored to lead this committee and work with my state public service commission colleagues in promoting reliable and affordable electricity supply—and effective regulation,” Rendahl said. “As the industry changes at a rapid pace, the work we do together in learning from each other, federal agencies, and other industry experts is invaluable to public service regulators and electricity ratepayers across the country.”

Balasbas, who was appointed to the UTC by Gov. Jay Inslee in February 2017, assumes the leadership of outgoing Michigan Commissioner Norm Saari. Balasbas served previously as senior budget assistant to the governor in the Office of Financial Management working in the General Government Section, Transportation Section and as lead analyst on revenue issues. Before that, he worked for the Washington House of Representatives in a variety of roles, including senior fiscal analyst, assistant director of policy and policy analyst on transportation and finance issues. He also worked for the Washington Department of Transportation.

He currently serves as the co-vice chair of NARUC’s Committee on Critical Infrastructure and is a member of the Committee on Gas and the Subcommittee on Pipeline Safety. He also serves on the Washington Action Program, which monitors federal activities related to the Association’s work.

Balasbas has a Bachelor of Arts in political science and a Master of Science in finance from Seattle University.  

“Pipeline safety is an increasingly important topic across the country and in Washington state,” Balasbas said. “I look forward to working with my colleagues to continue building awareness and implementing best practices for the safe transportation and sale of natural gas.”

“Commissioner Rendahl has been an active member of NARUC and her experience as vice chair of the Committee on Electricity will ensure a smooth, effective transition of leadership,” said NARUC President Nick Wagner. “Likewise, Commissioner Balasbas possesses the technical knowledge and skills to continue to advance the agenda of the Subcommittee on Pipeline Safety. NARUC is also grateful for the leadership of Judge Jagdmann and Commissioner Saari.”  

Committee and subcommittee chairs are appointed by the NARUC President for a term of one year and may be reappointed for a maximum of three consecutive terms.

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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.