When Seven Days’ Ken Picard covered the state’s little-understood Public Service Board last year, he referred to its three members as “Vermont’s most powerful men you’ve never heard of.”

Come October, those three will remain all-powerful — but they won’t all be old white dudes.

On Monday, Gov. Peter Shumlin appointed Rep. Margaret Cheney (D-Norwich) to replace David Coen, who’s retiring after 18 years on the board. She’ll be charged with overseeing Vermont’s regulated utilities, which include everything from electric power to telecommunications to pipeline gas.

After seven years on the House Natural Resources and Energy Committee — including four as its vice chairwoman — Cheney (pictured here) says she’s looking forward to her new assignment, which begins when she’s sworn in on October 1.

“It builds on a base of knowledge I’ve been accumulating over the last seven years. Working on energy issues, I feel like I’ve almost earned an advanced degree,” Cheney says.

Paul Heintz was part of the Seven Days news team from 2012 to 2020. He served as political editor and wrote the "Fair Game" political column before becoming a staff writer.

4 replies on “Shumlin Taps Cheney, a Norwich Democrat, for Public Service Board”

  1. “Cheney is married to Congressman Peter Welch (D-Vt.),…(who) has raised tens of thousands of dollars this year alone from regulated utilities”
    Shummy, this looks like the begining of a beautiful friendship.
    Captain Renault: I’m shocked, shocked to find that gambling is going on in here!
    [a croupier hands Renault a pile of money]
    Croupier: Your winnings, sir.
    Captain Renault: [sotto voce] Oh, thank you very much.
    [aloud]
    Captain Renault: Everybody out at once!

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