The Public Utility Commission of Texas on March 11 named Adrianne Brandt the agency’s new Director of ERCOT Inc. Accountability and charged her with enhancing the PUC’s oversight of the grid operator and market manager. In this role, she will be assisted by former ERCOT COO, Brad Jones.
“Adrianne is the exact mixture of knowledge, experience and toughness this role requires,” said PUC Chairman, Arthur D’Andrea. “She knows the intricacies of power markets and will bring her forthright nature and expertise to bear in a way that will help our agency more ably fulfill our oversight role.”
Brandt began her professional life as an Army intelligence analyst and moved into the business world with analyst roles at Dell, the Public Utility Commission of Texas, Austin Energy and CPS Energy in San Antonio. The twenty-year Texas resident holds a BA in Economics (Magna cum Laude) from the University of Maryland.
Assisting Brandt in a consultant role is Texan Brad Jones, whose thirty-plus years of experience includes serving as President and Chief Executive Officer of the New York Independent System Operator after serving as ERCOT’s Chief Operations Officer. He is a past Chairman of the Edison Electric Institute’s Executive Advisory Committee and a board member for the Gulf Coast Power Association. He earned a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Texas Tech and an MBA from UT-Arlington.
“Adrianne and Brad provide a powerful one-two punch of industry knowledge, regulatory experience and unassailable integrity,” said PUC Executive Director, Thomas Gleeson. “Not only will they guide a financial analysis of the grid event, but will also ratchet up ERCOT’s accountability to the PUC and the people of Texas.”