Texas Public Utility Commissioner Will McAdams made good on his intention to resign from the commission by the end of the year, sitting through his last open meeting Dec. 14 as a member of the regulatory body.

McAdams, who told RTO Insider last month of his plans to resign before next year, wiped away tears as he thanked staff, his fellow commissioners and his family for what he called “one of the highest and true honors of my life.” (See McAdams Says He Will Resign from Texas PUC.)

“As I told the reporters, there comes a point for everybody when they evaluate their work-life balance and identify a need to take a step back; they need to heed that feeling,” he said. “That point has come for me. As I said then, this is a time for new blood to come in and continue to work on the momentum that we have created and started here.”

McAdams is the longest-tenured commissioner, having been appointed to the PUC in March 2021 shortly after the disastrous winter storm that nearly collapsed the ERCOT grid. His term was to expire Sept. 1, 2025.

The previous commission having resigned or been asked to step down, McAdams and the other commissioners who eventually joined him have spent that time implementing new rules after two legislative sessions, evaluating and redesigning the ERCOT market, and restoring staff confidence.

“As we have long said, this is not an easy assignment. The current commission was composed under extreme circumstances,” he said. “It seems to me that 2021 was a defined demarcation line and time. Especially for those working at this agency, there is now a pre-2021 history for the PUC and a post-2021 history that has yet to be made, and it’s never going back.”

“I feel privileged to have been here during that transition. The function that this agency serves is essential, and nothing’s going to change that,” McAdams added. “Our role as regulators is to instill and maintain confidence in the rule of law, the spirit of fair play and competitive neutrality in an environment with large and powerful corporate forces, all to ensure the best possible outcomes for Texas consumers.”

“Today is a bittersweet day,” interim PUC Chair Kathleen Jackson said as she opened the meeting. “On behalf of all Texans, I want to thank you for your tireless efforts since being appointed as the first new commissioner after Winter Storm Uri. You stepped up to the challenge with a desire to make a difference. … You’ve been an invaluable resource to me, the PUC and … the state of Texas.”

Commission staff recalled the day McAdams first appeared in the office. He was an industry outsider but had a strong working knowledge of the market through his policy work as a legislative staffer.

“My first thought when we were told Will McAdams was headed this way was, ‘Thank goodness! Someone who speaks electricity,’” said Connie Corona, deputy to Executive Director Thomas Gleeson. “We were well acquainted with you and your expertise and dedication to good public policy from working with you over the years. Thomas and I were sitting in a very lonely hallway on that day.”

“You strolled in and basically said, ‘We’ve got this,’ and never looked back,” she added.

“On March 15, 2021, Connie and I found ourselves with no one at the dais,” Gleeson said. “Being first is always difficult, and I’ve told you privately how much I appreciate that you were willing to go first and what that meant and how that helped with the 2021 [legislative] session. You really turned it around for us. Thank you for going first.”

“We all came in here and had a very challenging mission from Day 1: implementing all the legislation that got passed after Winter Storm Uri; engaging on several rounds of market reform discussions,” Commissioner Lori Cobos said. “The amount of work that we’ve accomplished over the last two years has been [immeasurable]. For that, I thank you for all of your leadership, your service, your support and your friendship.”

McAdams took a leadership role on ERCOT’s task force evaluating how aggregated distributed energy resources (ADERs) could participate in the wholesale market and their ability to serve as virtual power plants. He also threw himself headfirst into his SPP responsibilities, chairing a leadership team addressing the RTO’s resource adequacy issues.

“We had a great opportunity to work together on the ADER task force. That was your leadership and my nudging you in one direction, but you let your team lead that, and Texas is going to be much better for it,” Commissioner Jimmy Glotfelty said. “Having been in this business for 30 years, to watch the first few months and you grow your understanding of the market. Gosh, it was just great to see you stand up and be your own person and lead and lead and lead, and I know that’s to your core.”

The commission is now left with three members, two short of full capacity following Peter Lake’s resignation as chair in June. Gov. Greg Abbott’s press office did not respond to a question on when future PUC appointments might be made.

McAdams will chair the SPP Resource and Energy Adequacy Leadership Team’s final meeting of the year Dec. 18 before turning the position over to his likely successor, Kristie Fiegen, who chairs the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission.

Cobos will replace McAdams as Texas’ delegate on SPP’s Regional State Committee, with Glotfelty replacing Cobos on the Organization of MISO States.