FRANKFORT, Ky. (July 25, 2014) – Kentucky Public Service Commission (PSC) Vice Chairman James Gardner has been named to the advisory council of the Electric Power Research Institute, Inc., (EPRI) the international research arm of the electric power industry. Gardner is one of 10 advisory council members representing the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners, or NARUC. He will serve a three-year term. EPRI is a non-profit organization that conducts research on all aspects of electric power – generation, transmission and distribution. Although funded largely by investor-owned electric utilities worldwide, EPRI operates independently, relying heavily on broad-based advisory groups. The advisory council provides input to EPRI’s board of directors. “This is a time of rapid change in the electric industry, driven by economic and regulatory factors,” Gardner said. “I hope to help guide EPRI toward research that will benefit Kentucky as our state works to efficiently provide reliable electric power at the lowest possible rates.” Gardner also serves on the executive committee of NARUC and its Task Force on Environmental Regulation and Generation. He chairs NARUC’s Subcommittee on Education and Research and is co-vice chair of the Committee on Energy Resources and the Environment. Gardner also serves on the board of directors of the National Regulatory Research Institute, and the advisory Boards of the Financial Research Institute and the Gas Technology Institute