Press Release

PUC Elects Commissioner Stephen M. DeFrank as Vice Chairman

Published on 10/27/2022

Filed under: Consumer Education Electric Gas Motor Carrier Pipeline Rails Telecommunications Transportation and Safety Water and Wastewater

Commissioner DeFrank’s term as Vice Chairman to Continue Through 2023

HARRISBURG – Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) Chairman Gladys Brown Dutrieuille today announced the Commissioners’ election of Stephen M. DeFrank as Vice Chairman, effective immediately.  He succeeds John F. Coleman Jr., who had served as Vice Chairman since October 2021 and will remain as a commissioner with a term expiring April 1, 2027.

Chairman Dutrieuille said at Thursday’s Public Meeting that the Commissioners elected a Vice Chairman for the remainder of 2022 and all of 2023 as they are required to do under the Public Utility Code.

“Upon return to a full five-member Commission, we have voted to elect as our Vice Chairman Commissioner Steve DeFrank,” said Chairman Dutrieuille.  “Let me add my congratulations to Commissioner DeFrank, who I look forward to working with in his new role as our Commission faces a diverse list of utility issues.”

DeFrank joined the Commission following a nomination by Gov. Tom Wolf on Sept. 20, 2022, and a Pennsylvania Senate confirmation on Oct. 19, 2022. His term expires on April 1, 2025.

Before joining the PUC, DeFrank worked as government relations professional at Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney, after spending 24 years of his career in Pennsylvania state government, including time with the Senate of Pennsylvania, where he served as chief of staff/executive director to Senator Lisa M. Boscola, Democratic chair of the Senate Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure Committee.

As a commissioner, DeFrank plans to initially focus on a couple of areas of utility regulation, including the delivery of safe and reliable utility service to ratepayers; the rebuilding of aging utility distribution infrastructure; and preparation for cyber threats to utility distribution systems.

Commissioner DeFrank was born and raised in Uniontown, Fayette County. He lives in Harrisburg and is married with two daughters.

About the PUC

Pennsylvania’s Public Utility Commission balances the needs of consumers and utilities; ensures safe and reliable utility service at reasonable rates; protects the public interest; educates consumers to make independent and informed utility choices; furthers economic development; and fosters new technologies and competitive markets in an environmentally sound manner.

Visit the PUC’s website at www.puc.pa.gov for recent news releases and video of select proceedings. You can also follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube. Search for the “Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission” or “PA PUC” on your favorite social media channel for updates on utility issues and other helpful consumer information.

# # #

Contact:

• Nils Hagen-Frederiksen
  Press Secretary
  717-418-2701
  nhagen-fre@pa.gov