Kent Chandler, Former Chair of Kentucky’s Utility Regulator, Joins the R Street Institute’s Energy and Environmental Policy Program
WASHINGTON (July 29, 2024)—The R Street Institute is pleased to welcome Kent Chandler as a resident senior fellow for the Energy and Environmental Policy Program.
“We are delighted to welcome the top state utility regulator to the team,” said Devin Hartman, director of Energy and Environmental Policy. “Chairman Chandler has been the state ringleader on sensible transmission and reliability policy. He has championed electric competition, consumer choice, and responsible governance. We cannot wait to put his talents to work at federal and state levels to advance freer, cleaner, and reliable electricity markets.”
“I am honored to join the R Street Institute,” remarked Chandler. “I’ve dedicated my career to advancing the interests of customers in the energy and utility space, and I can’t imagine a better place to continue that mission than R Street. This organization has a proven record of advancing commonsense energy and electricity policy, and I look forward to working with the amazing team here to ensure customers and sound economics lead the way in our energy systems.”
Chandler previously served as chairman of the Kentucky Public Service Commission (KY PSC). In his four years as a commissioner, Chandler led two groups of state regulators, including the Organization of PJM States, Inc., to advocate for state interests in the Mid-Atlantic wholesale electricity market. Chandler also engaged in the Midwest wholesale electricity market as a board member of the Organization of MISO States. He served in leadership roles at the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners and represented states’ interests as part of the North American Electric Reliability Corporation’s Member Representatives Committee.
Prior to his time as a commissioner, Chandler led PSC staff as executive director after serving as a PSC advisor. He also worked as an attorney in the Kentucky Attorney General’s Office of Rate Intervention and served on the executive committee of the Consumer Advocates of the PJM States. Altogether, Chandler brings extensive experience and success in utility regulatory matters at state and regional levels and before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
Chandler earned a JD from Northern Kentucky University’s Salmon P. Chase College of Law and a bachelor’s degree in finance from Murray State University.
The R Street Institute was founded in 2012 as a nonprofit, nonpartisan public policy research organization with the mission to engage in research and outreach to promote free markets and limited, effective government. We focus on complex policy issues that other groups tend to neglect. Our work takes the form of deep research, commentary, events and coalition efforts at the national and state levels. In addition to our D.C. headquarters, we have offices in Georgia, Texas, Ohio, and California. Learn more at www.rstreet.org.
Chandler can be reached at kchandler@rstreet.org