Public Utility Commission Chairman Gladys M. Brown has been appointed to lead the Committee on Critical Infrastructure for the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners.

The NARUC Committee on Critical Infrastructure is intended to provide a forum for state regulators to explore and analyze solutions to concerns about utility infrastructure security, reliability and resilience.

The committee also gives state regulators opportunities to share best practices and collaborate, often with federal counterparts. Committee chairs are appointed by the NARUC President for a one-year term and may be reappointed for a maximum of three consecutive terms.

“We are so pleased to welcome Chairman Brown to lead the Committee on Critical Infrastructure,” said NARUC President John Betkoski III. “She brings previous committee and taskforce experience and has the experience required to ensure that our state commissions have access to the tools they need to help ensure that utility critical infrastructures are secure and can recover quickly from natural or manmade disruptions to service.”

Under Chairman Brown’s leadership, the PUC has worked with utilities and other stakeholders to enhance the Commonwealth’s ability to safeguard against and respond to large-scale cyber and physical events.

The Commission also collaborated with Gov. Tom Wolf to host a first-ever statewide “Black Sky” exercise as a mechanism to enhance preparation and coordination for large-scale outages, which could be the result of natural disasters or manmade cyber or physical events.

PUC efforts are focused on fostering greater communication between utilities in different sectors; developing and promoting best practices for mid-size and smaller entities; and integrating other state agencies, emergency responders and non-government organizations (NGOs) in Black Sky planning.

“I am honored to chair the Committee on Critical Infrastructure and I thank President Betkoski and the NARUC Board for this appointment,” said Chairman Brown. “I am looking forward to working collectively with state commissions and utilities across the country to address the challenges and opportunities involving infrastructure security and resilience.”

Chairman Brown began her service as a PUC Commissioner in 2013 and was appointed Chairman in 2015. She was recently unanimously confirmed to serve a second 5-year term, through April 1, 2023, and continues to serve as chair of the Commission.

To learn more, visit NARUC’s Committee on Critical Infrastructure webpage.

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[Posted: April 20, 2018]

4/23/2018