Gov. on Wednesday promoted Arthur D鈥橝ndrea to chair the state鈥檚 utility regulator, replacing the Public Utility Commission leader who resigned earlier this week following widespread power outages in February.
The governor to lead the PUC, which oversees the state鈥檚 grid operator, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas. D鈥橝ndrea, appointed by Abbott in 2017 to the three-member board that runs the Public Utility Commission, is a lawyer who previously worked at the Texas attorney general's office and for a private law firm.
D'Andrea replaces DeAnn Walker, who resigned as chair of the PUC earlier this week after Lt. Gov. and state lawmakers called for her to resign following the blackouts. , the same salary as Walker鈥檚 was. It is unclear whether D'Andrea will receive a pay raise.
While Abbott has called on lawmakers to reform ERCOT, the PUC has come under fire for not sounding alarms ahead of the winter storm that resulted in the deaths of dozens of Texans and left millions without power for days in subfreezing temperatures. The agency has also been criticized for failing to prepare the state鈥檚 electricity infrastructure for the possibility of winter weather, especially after state leaders over the last decade
During the PUC鈥檚 first public meeting on Wednesday since Walker D鈥橝ndrea, who at the time had not yet been announced as Walker鈥檚 replacement, began the proceedings by praising Walker.
鈥淏efore I get started, I want to take a minute to acknowledge DeAnn Walker鈥檚 dedicated and tireless service to this agency,鈥� D鈥橝ndrea said. 鈥淪he was the hardest working, the most detail oriented person I鈥檝e ever met and I鈥檓 really going to miss having her around.鈥�
D鈥橝ndrea鈥檚 promotion leaves one open commissioner seat. Abbott can now choose who he鈥檇 like to join D鈥橝ndrea and Commissioner Shelly Botkin, who Abbott appointed to the PUC in 2018.