MADISON – The Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (PSC) proudly shares that PSC Commissioner Kristy Nieto was appointed to serve as the new Chair of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC) Committee on Consumers and Public Interest.
“As energy issues increasingly shape conversations at kitchen tables, in classrooms, in the media, and in political debate, keeping the needs of utility customers as a central focus of our work is more important than ever. I am honored to lead the NARUC Committee on Consumers and Public Interest and work collaboratively with utility regulators across the country to prioritize this vital work,” said Commissioner Kristy Nieto.
The NARUC Committee on Consumers and the Public Interest brings together commissioners from across the nation to focus on the evolving role state commissions play in protecting consumers and upholding the public interest. The Committee fosters thoughtful, fact-based dialogue exploring ways to ensure fair and affordable utility service in order to support informed regulatory decisions, public participation, and improved consumer education and communication.
“Commissioner Nieto’s extensive background in consumer issues and previous role on the committee will ensure both a seamless transition and provide the leadership needed to help identify and address the myriad concerns of utility consumers and regulators alike,” said Commissioner Ann Rendahl, NARUC President. “We greatly appreciate the previous leadership service of Commissioner Christodoulou.”
Commissioner Nieto was appointed by Governor Tony Evers to serve as a Commissioner in February 2024. She worked at the PSC for more than a decade before being appointed as a commissioner, becoming the first commissioner to have worked in every division at the agency. Commissioner Nieto previously served as Administrator of the Division of Energy Regulation and Analysis (DERA), Administrator of the Division of Digital Access, Consumer and Environmental Affairs (DACEA), Deputy Administrator of the Commission’s business operations division, and Director of the Consumer Affairs Bureau. Prior to her work at the Commission, Commissioner Nieto managed the bilingual consumer protection program for the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection.
Along with serving as Chair of the Committee on Consumers and the Public Interest, Commissioner Nieto is on the Committee on Energy Resources and the Environment. She previously served as a Wisconsin representative on the NARUC Advanced Nuclear States Collaborative and the Task Force on Natural Gas Resource Planning. Commissioner Nieto holds a bachelor’s degree from Hamline University in St. Paul in Spanish and Writing, and a master’s degree from UW–Madison in Spanish Literature and Linguistics.
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.
An online version of this release is available here.
