Update: Frank Afranji will be staying on board as NWPP President through approximately late March.
PORTLAND, OR – Frank Afranji, President of the Northwest Power Pool Corporation (NWPP Corporation) announced today that he will be stepping down from that role and retiring in January 2022. Afranji has been the NWPP Corporation President since August 2018. The NWPP Corporation helps to coordinate grid operations for eight western U.S. states and two provinces in western Canada. The NWPP Corporation supports the volunteer membership of the Northwest Power Pool, which includes major utilities, generators, and energy managers who work together for increased grid efficiency and reliability.
Afranji stated, “It is with deep appreciation to the regional utility senior leaders, regulators and others who offered me the trust to assist in building on the long history of accomplishments of the NWPP that I feel we collectively reached a higher level of service value for this great organization.”
“I greatly value the relationships, shared vision and collaboration to secure, implement, and transition the organization into the non-binding phase of the Western Resource Adequacy Program.” Afranji continued, “The region will benefit for decades from our vision and I take comfort knowing that the program will have a successful conclusion.”
The Chairman of the Board of the NWPP Corporation Bill Drummond said a comprehensive search will begin for a new NWPP President immediately.
“The NWPP Board greatly appreciates the vision, expertise and leadership that Frank has brought to the organization and our region. Not only has it been such a pleasure working with Frank, we recognize that he was instrumental in the forward-looking vision for the organization. The formation of NorthernGrid as part of the Power Pool, attracting a top-quality staff, and the huge growth in the digital training program all happened during his tenure,” Drummond said. “The progress on the Western Resource Adequacy Program would not have been possible without Frank at the helm.”
Other regional leaders added their sentiments:
Maria Pope, President and CEO of Portland General said: “It wasn’t long ago that Frank launched the region into a period of unprecedented coordination and collaboration with the October 2019 Resource Adequacy Symposium. And just a few years later, the launch of the Western Resource Adequacy Program, is impressive its West-wide footprint. While leading, convening and educating, Frank has also had fun along the way, turning many utility partners into video stars. Frank has left his mark on the region, establishing the foundation for a promising future.”
“Frank has been a strong leader and partner when the region truly needed it,” said John Hairston, Administrator of the Bonneville Power Administration. “Under his leadership, the NWPP and its members have made tremendous progress in the development of the Western Resource Adequacy Program, which has demonstrated the potential for being the foundational component of the regional effort to create a more reliable and sustainable grid.”
Steve Wright, CEO of Chelan PUD, said, “Frank has done an outstanding job. He has facilitated bringing the Northwest together to protect consumers through addressing the need to assure adequate electricity supply to meet demand. He has revitalized the Northwest Power Pool to increase its
value. He has accomplished this with his extraordinary expertise and integrity.”
“Frank has been a transformational leader for the Northwest Power Pool,” said Elliot Mainzer, President and CEO of the California Independent System Operator and former BPA Administrator. “His personal integrity, expertise, and collaborative spirit were key factors in the advent of the Western Resource Adequacy Program and I am deeply grateful for his friendship and service.”
Prior to becoming President of the Northwest Power Pool, Afranji spent 36 years with Portland General Electric, retiring in 2018 as Director, Transmission and Reliability Services.
About the NWPP Corporation
The NWPP Corporation is based in Portland, Oregon. Having evolved from its informal origins of three engineers on loan from members utilities in 1942 to the existing staff today, the NWPP Corporation strives to help its customer organizations achieve maximum benefits of coordinated operations. The staffing and governance functions supporting the committees of the Northwest Power Pool Agreement were folded into a nonprofit corporation in 1999.
During its evolution over the last eight decades, the NWPP Corporation has refined its core values to be customer-driven, relationship-based, independent and operating with great integrity. From this foundation, the NWPP Corporation provides professional and management services to its participating organizations, as defined by its General Services Agreements, and professional service contracts with individual participants.
For more information, please contact: Bill Drummond, 406-544-0510 or WKDrummond@comcast.net