Pa. Senate Confirms PUC Nominee Barrow

Pennsylvania state senators confirmed nominee Kimberly Barrow to the Public Utility Commission. The Senate voted 47-0 Wednesday after the Senate Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure Committee unanimously cleared Barrow earlier that day at a livestreamed meeting. Barrow has been chief of staff for Pennsylvania PUC Chairman Gladys Brown Dutrieuille since 2013 and worked at the PUC for 22 years total. Dutrieuille’s term expired April 1, but Pennsylvania commissioners may continue an additional six months or until a replacement is confirmed. When Dutrieuille exits, Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) will choose which commissioner will be chair. "My focus really will be on consumers,” with affordability and reliability as top issues, Barrow told the Senate committee. Shapiro’s nominee said she seeks to find “balance” between consumers and utilities. Saying he looked forward to balanced decisions, Committee Chair Patrick Stefano (R) asked Barrow how she would handle possibly being a deciding vote on a commission with two Democrats and two Republicans. Most PUC decisions are 5-0, and that’s worth continuing, replied Barrow. Barrow will fill Dutrieuille’s “big shoes,” said Minority Chair Lisa Boscola, a Democrat: "It will be great to work with a full commission." Dutrieuille testified that Barrow “will make an excellent commissioner.”