The Smart Electric Power Alliance (SEPA) has announced its finalists for the 2022 SEPA Utility Transformation Awards, which recognize the nation’s top projects, programs, partners, and individuals driving the utility industry’s transformation to a modern, reliable and low carbon energy future.
La Plata Electric Association (LPEA) CEO Jessica Matlock was named as one of three finalists for the Utility Transformation Leader of the Year award. Other finalists include Alexander G. Núñez, SVP of Governmental, Regulatory, & External Affairs at Baltimore Gas & Electric, and Nadia El Mallakh, VP of Clean Transportation & Strategic Partnerships at Xcel Energy.
“I am honored to be nominated to represent LPEA for this award and to be standing side by side with inspiring innovators across the utility industry,” said LPEA CEO Jessica Matlock. “I am especially proud to represent the only cooperative utility nominated in any category. Rural electric cooperatives like LPEA supply power to 56% of the nation’s landmass and have a major role to play in the energy transition by achieving local control, flexibility, cost savings, and emission reductions in our rural communities.”
Since arriving at LPEA in 2019, she has led the utility in its groundbreaking future power supply partnership with Tri-State Generation & Transmission – finding a win-win solution after years of debate – and co-created a national network of women in the cooperative utility industry. Under her leadership, LPEA also installed the first electric Vehicle-to-Grid school bus in Colorado, implemented the first Code of Excellence program between the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and a cooperative in the United States, and built local partnerships to support the development of broadband in LPEA’s service territory.
SEPA will announce the winners from all categories shortly before its ‘RE+’ event on September 19, 2022, and will recognize them at the event.
LPEA is a member-owned, not-for-profit electric distribution cooperative serving La Plata and Archuleta, with segments of Hinsdale, Mineral, and San Juan counties. LPEA is the fifth largest cooperative of 22 in Colorado and aims to provide safe, reliable electricity at the lowest reasonable cost to its approximately 35,700 members.
For additional information, contact LPEA at (970) 247-5786 or visit lpea.coop.
Hillary Knox is VP of Communications at La Plata Electric Association, Inc. (LPEA)