Hispanics in Energy (HIE) partnered with NARUC at the 2025 Boston conference to spotlight the urgent need for greater Hispanic representation in energy regulation. Today, Hispanics make up roughly 20% of the U.S. population, yet only about six of the nation’s 196 utility commissioners are Hispanic—just 3%.
The session opened with HIE President & CEO José Pérez highlighting HIE’s rapid growth to nearly 10,000 in its network across 25 states. Leadership remarks called for bold action: Commissioner Tricia Pridemore emphasized building the full suite of energy infrastructure, while Judge Nelson Díaz proposed an HIE–NARUC Hispanic Fellowship Program to place graduates inside utility commissions—where they can directly influence policy, uphold transparency, and advocate for fairer outcomes.
Commissioner Lea Márquez Peterson challenged the audience to consider the cost of exclusion when Hispanic voices are missing from regulatory decisions. Panelists reinforced that message with concrete examples that underscored how commissions serve as both guardians of transparency and advocates for the public interest. Jose Niño tied rising Hispanic voter eligibility to trillions in spending power, while Ellen Zuckerman of Google described the need for clear regulatory processes and proactive community engagement in data-center projects.
Diego Espinoza of Salt River Project outlined bilingual and culturally rooted outreach to build trust with Latino leaders and communities. Former Commissioner Lori Cobos shared reforms after Winter Storm Uri—demonstrating how commissions can require accountability through mandatory public comment at open meetings and bilingual communication strategies. Closing remarks from Frederick Pfaeffle and Maria Pia Tamburri stressed leadership pipelines, education, and early stakeholder involvement as pathways to inclusion.
Hispanic representation in energy regulation remains far below population share, but targeted fellowships, transparent engagement, and culturally aware outreach can help close the gap.
