Robert F. Powelson

Commissioner, Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission

Commissioner Robert F. Powelson is a highly respected leader in the power and energy regulatory industry in both the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and on a national level. He possesses a thorough knowledge of national and international energy markets and has been instrumental in leading the Commonwealth in the development of its energy resources.
Powelson has served as a Commissioner at the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission since 2008. During his tenure as Chairman of the Commission from 2010-2014, Powelson played an integral role in helping to transform Pennsylvania into an energy export state through the development of not only natural gas exploration, but also by innovative coal production, nuclear power development and renewable energy investment.
Powelson has been a leader in promoting the responsible development of natural gas through unconventional drilling of the Marcellus Shale. As a member of Governor Corbett’s Marcellus Shale Commission, Powelson gained a wealth of knowledge and expertise regarding the benefits of natural gas in the power and manufacturing sectors. Seeking to harness the abundant natural gas resources Pennsylvania has to offer, Powelson has been a vocal advocate for the expansion of natural gas service and infrastructure development across the Commonwealth. Additionally, since joining the Commission in 2008, Powelson has been a steadfast supporter of competitive electricity markets and has put the Commonwealth on the map as a national energy success story. Recognizing this, in 2012, The Pittsburgh Business Journal named Powelson one of the “Top 50 Most Influential Energy Leaders” in the Commonwealth.
Under Powelson’s leadership, the Commission has transformed itself into one of the most dynamic regulatory agencies in the nation. In 2010, he led a successful reorganization initiative working with Public Financial Management to identify over $2.1 million in savings throughout the Commission. Powelson is also known for his success in building accountability and transparency into the regulatory decision making process at the Commission. Under his leadership, the Commonwealth has been rated one of the top regulatory climates in the nation.
To highlight his efforts at the Commission, in 2012, Powelson played a key role leading the Hurricane Sandy restoration effort in the Commonwealth. Additionally, as part of Governor Corbett’s Executive Leadership Team, Powelson helped to save three refinery complexes in the Greater Philadelphia area.
Powelson brings over 20 years of governmental and business leadership to his role as a Commissioner at one of the largest public utility commissions in the nation. Prior to joining the Commission, Powelson was President and CEO of one the largest Chambers of Commerce in Pennsylvania. Under his leadership, the Chester County Chamber of Business & Industry received national accreditation from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. He led that organization for over fourteen years before he was nominated to serve on the Commission in 2008.
In 2015, Powelson was elected by his colleagues to be the First Vice President of the National Association of Regulatory Commissioners (NARUC). From 2010-2013, he also served on the NARUC Board of Directors and as Chairman of the NARUC Water Committee. In 2014, Powelson was awarded the prestigious Water Droplet award by the National Association of Water Companies (NAWC) for his leadership and advocacy work on behalf of the water industry. In addition to his participation with NARUC, he served as President of the Mid-Atlantic Conference of Regulatory Utilities Commissioners (MACRUC) in 2014 and also currently serves on the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) Advisory Board.
The hallmark of Powelson’s leadership not only on a statewide and national level, but also internationally, can be seen through his strong commitment to corporate and community engagement. In 2005, he was selected by the Eisenhower Presidential Fellows to be a U.S. Fellow in Singapore and Australia. He spent over three months studying the energy and financial sectors in and around the Pacific Rim. During his visit, he met with numerous business and government leaders including Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer. In 2013, Powelson also had the opportunity to meet with Chilean President Sebastian Pinera to discuss energy development issues around shale gas production and clean technology investment. This meeting led to the establishment of a new partnership between the Commonwealth and the Chilean-American Chamber of Commerce.
Overall, Powelson brings a point of view and leadership style that is unparalleled by anyone in his industry. He is a person of the highest caliber who knows how to build high impact teams and deliver results.
Powelson holds a Bachelor of Administration degree from St. Joseph’s University and a Master in Government Administration degree from the University of Pennsylvania with a concentration in Public Finance. He was awarded The Leadership for Results award from the University of Pennsylvania in 2004. Powelson also serves as Trustee at Drexel University in Philadelphia, PA.
A native of Chester County, Powelson and his wife, Lauren, and sons, Ryan and Shane, currently reside in Kennett Square, PA.