Texas Governor Greg Abbott on Monday appointed ERCOT Director of Communications and Government Affairs Shelly Botkin to fill the final vacancy on the state’s Public Utility Commission. Her term expires Sept. 1, 2019.
Botkin’s appointment will bring the three-person commission back to full strength. She will fill the position vacated by Brandy Marty Marquez’ departure in March. (See Marquez to Depart Texas PUC.)
Botkin will be sworn in Wednesday and attend her first PUC open meeting Thursday.
The 46-year-old Botkin has been with ERCOT since 2010. She spent the previous 10 years as a senior policy analyst in the Texas Senate and House of Representatives.
ERCOT CEO Bill Magness said in the statement the ISO looks forward to working with Botkin.
“Shelly’s knowledge of electric market policy and the regulatory and legislative process has been a tremendous asset to ERCOT over the last eight years,” he said.
The PUC has seen a complete turnover of commissioners in little more than a year. Donna Nelson and Ken Anderson, the two longest-serving commissioners, both left the agency last year. They were replaced by Chair DeAnn Walker and Arthur D’Andrea, respectively.
— Tom Kleckner
