Iowa Utilities Board Member Josh Byrnes has been appointed to serve as the next president of the Organization of MISO States (OMS), a group established to represent the collective interests of state and local utility regulators in the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) region. MISO is an independent, member-based, regional transmission organization focused on managing the flow of high-voltage electricity across 15 states and Manitoba, Canada, and planning the electric grid of the future. Iowa is a member of OMS and MISO.
Byrnes previously served as OMS vice president. His succession to president fills a vacancy created by the departure of the previous president under OMS bylaws.
As OMS president, Byrnes will have a seat at the table to collaborate with other members by sharing resources, debating ideas on electric transmission and grid policy issues, and being heard through participation in OMS filings and comments. OMS is composed of 17 member groups in the MISO region.
In this role, Byrnes will focus on ensuring OMS is meeting the needs of its members and is providing the leadership necessary in an evolving utility industry.
“I am honored to serve as the next president of OMS,” Byrnes said. “I look forward to steadfastly working on behalf of the entire organization in advancing the interests of our members.”
Board Member Byrnes has served on the Iowa Utilities Board since 2020. He is also the treasurer for the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC), serves on the NARUC Committee on Gas and the NARUC Taskforce on Natural Gas Resource Planning, and is on the Executive Committee of the Mid-America Regulatory Conference (MARC).