Comments from
PJM Cities Coalition
on
Leadership Transition at PJM
July 24, 2019
The PJM Board of Managers
C/O Neil Smith, Board Member
PJM Interconnection LLC
2750 Monroe Boulevard
Audubon, Pennsylvania 19408
Dear PJM Board of Managers,
We are writing you today, as leaders of cities across the PJM Interconnection territory and members of the informal PJM
Cities Coalition, to strongly support and encourage the consideration of clean energy policy as the Board prepares to
choose a new Chief Executive Officer. The PJM Cities Coalition is a group of 18 U.S. cities dedicated to pursuing solutions
to global warming and who collectively represent more than 70 million Americans. We are also joined in support by
additional local governments who are not currently part of our coalition, but also view this leadership transition as an
opportunity to support clean energy development.
PJM Interconnection is the RTO for much of the Mid-Atlantic and Midwestern United States, whose territory includes
numerous cities and counties with ambitious climate action goals. The PJM Cities Coalition formed in 2018 to work
collectively to influence the regional energy system, including PJM.
The PJM Cities Coalition recognizes the leadership of outgoing CEO Andrew Ott. Under his leadership, our region’s
carbon emissions and electricity costs have declined while overall grid reliability has improved. As the PJM Board of
Managers seeks new leadership, the Coalition strongly encourages the Board to prioritize candidates who can move PJM
toward a clean energy future. Key priorities for the next CEO should include:
•
•
•
•

Supporting and preserving policies that open markets to new zero-emission energy sources and storage;
Ensuring organizational and governance reforms so that cities and other end users can equitably weigh in on key
decisions affecting their constituencies;
Focusing on maintaining access, transparency, and accountability in PJM operations; and
Aligning PJM’s long-term planning to be consistent with global climate science and city climate goals.

We look forward to following the Board of Managers’ decision-making over the coming weeks and to launching a
conversation between our cities and PJM Leadership. If you have any immediate comments or questions, please direct
them to Adam Agalloco (Adam.Agalloco@phila.gov) at the City of Philadelphia, one of the coalition’s leading cities.

 Carl W. (Bill) Eger, Energy Manager
City of Alexandria, VA

Lisa McNeilly, Director
Office of Sustainability
City of Baltimore, MD

Cara Bader, Chief Sustainability Officer
City of Chicago, IL
Kate Stewart, Mayor
City of Takoma Park, MD

Alicia R. Zatcoff, Sustainability Manager
City of Richmond, VA
James F. Kenny, Mayor
City of Philadelphia, PA

Tommy Wells, Director
Dept. Of Energy and Environment
City of Washington, DC
Kristel Riddervold,
Environmental Sustainability Manager
City of Charlottesville, SC
Marc Elrich, Executive
Montgomery County, MD

Ras J. Baraka, Mayor
City of Newark, NJ

Matthew Grey
Chief of Sustainability
City of Cleveland, OH