The National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners appointed Commissioner Tricia Pridemore on May 15, 2018 to its natural gas partnership program with the U.S. Department of Energy.

When the NARUC-DOE Natural Gas Infrastructure Modernization Partnership was established in 2016, its membership was assigned two primary goals. The first is to facilitate the exchange of information on emerging technologies and investments in natural gas infrastructure modernization. The second goal is to serve as a repository of information on the pipeline replacement and expansion mechanisms available to distribution networks.
 
Known as NGIMP, the cooperative effort convenes state regulators, federal agencies and other natural gas stakeholders to discuss natural gas pipeline leak detection and measurement tools and identify new technologies and cost-effective practices for enhancing pipeline safety, efficiency and deliverability.
 
“I am honored by the appointment,” said Commissioner Pridemore. “Natural gas is an important energy source for Georgia. I can share our experience in in Georgia in modernizing our pipeline infrastructure to this partnership.”
 
NGIMP is chaired by Commissioner Diane X. Burman, of the New York State Public Service Commission, who also chairs the NARUC Committee on Gas. Commissioner Pridemore will join the following other state regulatory commissioners who have been appointed to the partnership: Jay Balasbas, Washington; Gladys Brown, Pennsylvania; Julie Brown, Florida; Maida Coleman, Missouri; D. Ethan Kimbrel, Illinois; Thad LeVar, Utah; Angela O’Connor, Massachusetts; Kim O’Guinn, Arkansas; Brandon Presley, Mississippi; Norman J. Saari, Michigan; Katie Sieben, Minnesota; Dianne Solomon, New Jersey; and Nick Wagner, Iowa.

Existing members who will continue contributing to NGIMP include Committee on Gas Co-Vice Chair Julie Fedorchak, North Dakota; Kara Brighton Fornstrom, Wyoming; and Swain Whitfield, South Carolina.
 
The partnership is supported by the U.S. Department of Energy through the NARUC Center for Partnerships & Innovation, with Senior Program Officer Kiera Zitelman serving as the primary coordinator and point of contact.