Brian Rybarik, UTC nominee, tells Senate committee he will prioritize collaboration, transparency and consumer protections

Brian Rybarik, the governor’s nominee for chair of the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission, appeared before the Senate Environment, Energy & Technology Committee to answer questions about his priorities and experience.

Rybarik said he would bring experience from private practice, utility in-house counsel roles, Microsoft and a prior role at the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin to the UTC, and emphasized a focus on “safe, reliable utility services at fair prices.” He told the committee: “Finding that balance is always a challenge, but I think it's particularly challenging right now as we work to implement new policies that this legislature has passed.”

The hearing focused on the scope of UTC responsibilities and immediate challenges facing the agency. Rybarik emphasized collaboration with commissioners and staff and said he wants the commission to go beyond mere compliance with existing transparency rules. “We operate under the open meetings and open records laws of this state, but I think the moment calls for even greater transparency than just compliance with those laws,” he said.

Senators asked about several subject areas. Senator Lias, citing transportation safety and the commission’s role over common carriers and Puget Sound pilots, asked how Rybarik would approach rail and other transportation safety responsibilities. Rybarik replied he would “spend a lot of time listening and learning” and work with UTC staff and industry to understand those areas.

Senator Behnke pressed Rybarik on grid demand and the recent growth in data centers. Rybarik noted his Microsoft experience and said the state needs innovation and broader planning to balance supply, demand and prices. “We need to figure out ways to find that innovation, so that we lead to the lowest cost or fair prices and a safe and reliable [grid],” he said.

On human impacts, Senator Ramos asked Rybarik how his human-rights work at Microsoft would affect his UTC approach. Rybarik said the experience of performing supply-chain due diligence keeps “the human at the other end” of utility decisions front of mind and that due diligence should help ensure that customers who pay utility bills are considered in commission decisions.

Senator Slatter asked about federal impacts and workforce shifts at large federal sites, and about wildfire- and climate-related risks. Rybarik said the UTC must continually assess those impacts and build expertise; on disasters he emphasized the commission’s role of ensuring costs are “reasonably and prudently incurred.” “The key to me is, we need all the tools in our toolbox to be able to make sure that we get to that fair balance,” he said.

Several senators offered lighter, personal questions near the end of the hearing; the committee then moved to executive session. No final confirmation vote was recorded on the public transcript before the meeting recessed.

Reported exchanges in this article occurred during the nominee’s testimony and the committee’s question-and-answer period before the committee moved to executive session.