American Electric Power has named Southwestern Public Service Co.’s Adrian Rodriguez president and COO of AEP Texas, the company announced in a news release.

Rodriguez will join the company March 30 and will report to AEP CEO Bill Fehrman, the company said March 6. He will replace Judith Talavera, who has left the organization, AEP said.

The Columbus, Ohio-based company said the move will align AEP Texas with the company’s strategy on long-term priorities, further strengthen operational performance and strengthen relationships with the state’s important stakeholders.

“As the business continues to evolve, we believe now is the right time to bring in a leader with deep experience in stakeholder engagement and a strong operational focus to align with our long-term priorities in Texas,” Fehrman said in a statement. “We see tremendous upside in AEP Texas and its ability to enable growth in the state through our industry-leading 765-kV transmission capabilities. We are confident this move will help take this operating company to the next level.”

Rodriguez joined SPS, an Xcel Energy subsidiary, in 2022 from Puget Sound Energy. He previously held senior positions with El Paso Electric Co. and has had various roles in private law practice, the federal court system, public policy and the Texas Legislature. He has a bachelor’s degree in economics and government from the University of Texas, a master’s degree in public policy from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government and a law degree from Columbia University.

Alex Ramirez, vice president of distribution operations for AEP Texas, will serve as interim president and COO until Rodriguez arrives.