FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 10, 2009
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Karnel Thomas
karnel.thomas@utc.org
202.833.6816
SMART ENERGY GRID POLICY LEADER JOINS
UTILITIES TELECOM COUNCIL
Mike Oldak, UTC Vice President & General Counsel
(Washington, DC) Michael D. Oldak is the new Vice President and General Counsel of the Utilities
Telecom Council (UTC), a global trade association representing the information communications
technology interests of electric, gas and water utilities, other critical infrastructure organizations, and their
ICT partners. Oldak’s appointment is effective immediately.
“Mike brings a unique wealth of experience and insight into our members’ core businesses to the
leadership of UTC’s legal, legislative, regulatory and standards activities,” noted UTC President and Chief
Executive Officer William R. Moroney in making the announcement. “He has been at the forefront of
policy making for every major change in the utility industry for more than twenty five years,” Moroney
added, “and now, for such an individual to take on the role of leading our support for utility industry policymaking at such a transformative time as the era of smart grids presents, is truly fortuitous for the
industry.”
“While I’ve been involved in electric, gas, water and oil issues individually over my career, I’m excited
about the opportunity to apply what I’ve learned in helping to meet the emerging telecom needs of those
industries,” said Oldak.
Oldak comes to UTC from the Edison Electric Institute (EEI) where he has worked as EEI’s Senior
Director for State Competitive and Regulatory Policies, most recently focused on EEI’s smart grid
activities. He was also responsible for issues and policies related to electric rates and regulation; and he
represented investor-owned utilities before state regulatory and legislative bodies, as well as national
associations such as the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners, National Conference
of State Legislatures, and the National Governors Association. He created EEI’s E-Forums, internet
programs to educate and discuss critical industry issues. Prior to 1997, as Director, Power Supply Policy,
his responsibilities included Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s (FERC) policies on wholesale
power supply and transmission, utility ownership, diversification and the Public Utility Regulatory Policies
Act of 1978.
Prior to joining EEI in 1994, Oldak was the Regulatory Counsel at the National Rural Electric Cooperative
Association (NRECA) where he represented the cooperative energy industry before federal and state
commissions, courts, Congress, industry policy groups, and regional member organizations on matters
related to bulk power and transmission issues, integrated resource planning, and retail wheeling. He
represented NRECA before FERC in all major electric rulemakings, merger proceedings and technical
conferences and before Congress on energy legislation.
Prior to 1984, Oldak worked as an attorney in private practice, representing cooperatives, municipals and
investor-owned utilities in rate proceedings, antitrust litigation, and preference power disputes. At the
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission he was a Trial Attorney in their Office of Enforcement and their
Electric and Gas Rate Division. He also served as an Attorney Advisor representing the U.S. Department
of Energy (DOE) in proceedings implementing the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act, developing FERC
regulation of the oil pipeline industry, as well as the Federal Power Marketing Administrations. He was
also DOE’s project counsel for the Clinch River Breeder Reactor.
Before discovering the energy industry and the law, Mike worked as a design engineer for RCA Missile
and Surface Radar. He has Bachelor’s Degrees in Electrical Engineering and Administrative &
Management Science from Carnegie-Mellon University, and a Juris Doctor from the Georgetown
University Law Center.
Utilities Telecom Council
The Utilities Telecom Council (UTC) is a global, full-service trade association dedicated to creating a
favorable business, regulatory, and technological environment for entities that own, manage, or provide
critical telecommunications systems in support of core services. Founded in 1948, UTC has evolved into
a dynamic organization that represents the broad communications interests of electric, gas, and water
utilities; natural gas pipelines; other critical infrastructure entities and other industry stakeholders. Visit
www.utc.org for more information on UTC and its services.
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