The Public Service Commission of the District of Columbia (DCPSC), originally established as the Public Utilities Commission of the District of Columbia, was created by Congress and signed into law by President William Howard Taft in 1913. Since its inception, the DCPSC has served as a regulatory body for transportation, electric, gas, and telephone companies in the District.
Explore the milestones, key events, and publications that reflect the Commission's rich history of service to the public interest.
Publications and presentations
- A Decade of Change and Action: A History of the Public Service Commission of the District of Columbia, 2013-2023 — The latest chapter in the DCPSC's history, chronicling a decade of transformative initiatives, regulatory achievements, and the evolution of utility oversight in the District
- The First 100 Years: Protecting the Public Interest, 1913-2013 — A centennial retrospective examining the Commission's first century, released in 2016 with a panel discussion featuring DCPSC Commissioners and other historians.
- The First Century Serving the Public Interest, 1913-2013: A Socioeconomic History of Electric, Gas, and Telephone Regulation in the District of Columbia — A complementary book to The First 100 Years providing additional detailed reference information on electric, gas, and telephone regulation.
- Centennial Symposium: A centennial event held at Gallaudet University on March 15, 2013.
- Former DCPSC Executive Director Dr. Phylicia Fauntleroy Bowman presented on the history of diversity at the Commission and among local utility companies at the D.C. Historical Society in November 2014.
History of DCPSC Commissioners
Since 1913 there have been more than 70 DCPSC Commissioners. These individuals were former public servants, lawyers, economists, planners and members of the military, among other occupations.