Public Power Council Selects Tacoma Power Superintendent as new Chair

At its monthly meeting on January 9, 2025, the Executive Committee of the Public Power Council (PPC) elected officers for the 2025-2026 term. Elected by unanimous decision were:

• Chris Robinson, Tacoma Power, to preside as Chair
• Libby Calnon, Hood River Electric Cooperative, as Vice Chair, Administration & Budget
• Steve Andersen, Clark Public Utilities, as Vice Chair, Allocation/Rates/Contracts
• Humaira Falkenberg, Pacific PUD, as Vice Chair Fish and Wildlife
• Rich Wallen, Grant PUD, as Vice Chair, Market Development
• Jim Smith, Klickitat PUD, as Vice Chair, Long Range Planning

Also, at its Annual Meeting of Members on November 7, 2024, the Public Power Council announced the newly-elected members of the Executive Committee, who will serve a two- year term beginning in January 2025 (listed below).

Incoming PPC Chair, Chris Robinson, is moving to the Chair role from his previous position as the Vice Chair of PPC’s Market Development Committee.

“I am honored to lead PPC at such a critically important time for public power in the Northwest and across the country, and I look forward to engaging the talented leaders, staff and elected officials across PPC’s membership as we work to maintain and enhance the valuable electric system that serves our respective customers across six states,” Robinson said. “PPC brings public power together to deliver tangible benefits to Northwest communities, and I am honored to be selected as Chair to continue this legacy.”

Robinson will lead an impressive lineup of Officers and Board Members who together reflect the wide span of PPC member interests in both urban and rural communities that purchase all or part of their power or transmission services from the Federal Columbia River Power System.

“Chris Robinson brings impressive industry experience from Tacoma Power, one of the largest municipal utilities in the Northwest, to the PPC Chair role, as well as a strong track record as a leader in public power at the local, state, and regional levels,” said Scott Simms, PPC CEO & Executive Director. “Like his PPC Chair predecessor, Bear Prairie from Idaho Falls Power, Chris is a highly skilled leader dedicated to working with the diverse sets of interests and needs across public power communities to arrive at common policy positions across public power.”

Elected to the Executive Committee of PPC for 2025-2026 are: