Minnesota PUC
Audrey Partridge has served on the Minnesota PUC since 2025. Prior to her appointment, she served as the director of policy at the Center for Energy and Environment. She previously held roles as a senior regulatory analyst and local energy policy manager at CenterPoint Energy and worked with CapX2020, the Metropolitan Council, and the Mental Health Association of Minnesota.
Katie Sieben has served as Chair of the Minnesota PUC since 2019 and been a Commissioner since 2017. She is the Second Vice President of NARUC, serves on several NARUC committees and was the president of the Mid-America Regulatory Conference. Before joining the Commission, she worked in the U.S. Senate and served 14 years as a member of the Minnesota House and Senate.
Joseph Sullivan has served as Vice-Chair of the Minnesota PUC since 2020. He serves on the EPRI Advisory Council and the NARUC Committee on Electricity where he works to advance a reliable, affordable, and clean energy supply. He previously served as President of the Board of Directors for the Organization of MISO States and as Deputy Commissioner for the Division of Energy Resources at the Minnesota Department of Commerce.
John Tuma has served on the Minnesota PUC since 2015. He serves on the Regional State Committee of the SPP and the NARUC Committee on Telecommunications. He had decades of experience working on energy and conservation policy issues for a variety of non-governmental organizations. He also served in the Minnesota House from 1995 to 2002, representing south central Minnesota.
Hwikwon Ham has served on the Minnesota PUC since 2024. He is a NARUC member where he serves on the Committee on Electricity and the Committee on Consumers and the Public Interest. He spent more than 20 years in state government working on energy issues to ensure grid reliability, fostering efficient energy markets, guiding transmission planning, and advocating for equitable transmission cost allocation.
The Minnesota Public Utility Commission (PUC) aims for safe, reliable, and affordable energy for Minnesota customers and a hallmark of achieving those goals is open communication with the public. Better decisions are made when the Commission hears from its citizens and the PUC stresses sharing of thoughts and even includes instructional videos on how to participate on its website.
Minneapolis is where the NARUC Summer Policy Summit is being held July 19 to 22 and provided an opportunity for the PUF team to find out more about the host Commission. Chair Katie Sieben is also NARUC Second Vice President and in line to preside over NARUC.
The PUC opened its doors to PUF, and Commissioners and Staff took time from their busy schedules to discuss priorities, including affordability, electric-gas coordination, transmission, permitting, and more. Enjoy these conversations with Minnesota Chair Katie Sieben, Vice-Chair Joseph Sullivan, Commissioner Audrey Partridge, Commissioner Hwikwon Ham, and Commissioner John Tuma. Plus, the all-important PUC Staff.
PUF’s Rachel Bryant: Commissioner Tuma, what is your professional background, and what brought you to this work?