FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Thursday, Jan. 19, 2017
CONTACT: Leah Mohr, deputy executive director, South Dakota Public Utilities Commission, (605) 773-3201 or (605) 280-4327

PIERRE, S.D. – South Dakota Public Utilities Commissioner Chris Nelson has been selected to serve on the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners’ Board of Directors, a group tasked with overseeing NARUC’s efforts to improve the quality and effectiveness of public utility regulation. This is Nelson’s second appointment to the association’s supervisory board. He earned his first seat in January 2014 when he was selected to serve as chair of NARUC’s Committee on Telecommunications.

Appointed to a new seat by NARUC President Robert Powelson of the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission on Jan. 12, 2017, Nelson will serve on the board through October 2018. Along with other board members, he will focus on strengthening state commissions by engaging in public policy discussions, recommending resolutions to the NARUC membership and advocating among federal agencies.  

“I’m grateful to serve on my national association’s board of directors. This leadership position allows me to guide the direction of our organization in a manner that serves the needs of South Dakotans,” said Nelson.

Nelson has been a member of NARUC since 2011. He was part of NARUC’s Task Force on Federalism and Telecommunications and has been appointed by the Federal Communications Commission to the Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service, representing the interests of NARUC.

Gov. Dennis Daugaard appointed Nelson to the PUC in January 2011 to fill a vacancy. Nelson was elected in November 2012 to continue serving the remaining four years of the term. He was re-elected to the PUC in November 2016 to a full, six-year term. Prior to joining the commission, Nelson served eight years as South Dakota’s Secretary of State.

Visit www.NARUC.org to learn more about the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners. For additional information about the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission, visit www.puc.sd.gov.

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MEDIA NOTE: Contact the PUC at PUCNews@state.sd.us or (605) 773-3201 to request a high-resolution photograph of Commissioner Nelson.