Avangrid Appoints Elin Swanson Katz as Vice President of Energy Policy to Strengthen Regulatory and Stakeholder Engagement Strategy
Avangrid, Inc., one of the United States’ leading sustainable energy companies and a member of the global Iberdrola Group, has announced the appointment of Elin Swanson Katz as its new Vice President of Energy Policy. The appointment reflects the company’s continued focus on strengthening its public policy leadership as the energy industry navigates rapid transformation driven by decarbonization goals, grid modernization, evolving regulations, and increasing customer expectations.
In her new role, Katz will oversee Avangrid’s comprehensive energy policy strategy across the company’s broad portfolio of businesses, including its electric and natural gas utilities as well as its renewable power generation operations. She will be responsible for guiding engagement with policymakers, regulators, industry stakeholders, and community organizations while helping shape policy initiatives that support reliable, affordable, and sustainable energy systems.
The addition of Katz to Avangrid’s leadership team comes at a pivotal moment for the energy sector. Utilities and renewable energy developers are facing increasing pressure to deliver cleaner energy solutions while maintaining affordability and grid reliability. Regulatory frameworks continue to evolve at both the state and federal levels, creating a need for experienced leaders who understand the intersection of policy, consumer interests, and utility operations.
According to Avangrid leadership, Katz’s extensive background in energy regulation, consumer advocacy, and public policy makes her uniquely qualified to help guide the company through this changing landscape.
“Elin brings a depth of experience in energy policy, consumer protection, and utility regulation that will strengthen Avangrid’s ability to advance policies that support customers and the energy transition,” said Avangrid Deputy CEO Kim Harriman. “Her leadership will help ensure our approach remains grounded in affordability, reliability, and strong stakeholder engagement.”
Harriman emphasized that balancing customer needs with long-term sustainability objectives remains a central priority for Avangrid. As the company continues investing in renewable energy projects, transmission infrastructure, and grid modernization efforts, effective policy engagement will play an increasingly important role in supporting those initiatives.
Katz joins Avangrid with decades of experience spanning government service, regulatory affairs, consumer advocacy, legal practice, and energy consulting. Throughout her career, she has earned a reputation as a respected leader capable of navigating complex regulatory environments while ensuring that customer interests remain at the forefront of energy decision-making.
One of the most prominent chapters of her career was her tenure as Connecticut’s Consumer Counsel. In that role, she led the state’s independent consumer advocacy agency, representing residential, commercial, and industrial utility customers in proceedings before regulators and policymakers. Her work focused on promoting fair utility rates, enhancing consumer protections, and ensuring transparency in utility decision-making processes.
As Consumer Counsel, Katz became known for her commitment to balancing the interests of consumers with the operational and investment needs of utility providers. Her leadership helped shape discussions around energy affordability, renewable energy integration, and utility accountability during a period of significant change within the energy sector.
Following her service in Connecticut, Katz took on a groundbreaking federal leadership role as the founding Director of the Office of Public Participation at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). The office was created to increase public engagement and accessibility within federal energy regulatory proceedings, ensuring that communities, consumers, and other stakeholders could more effectively participate in decisions that affect energy infrastructure and markets.
In establishing the office, Katz developed programs and processes designed to improve transparency and broaden participation in federal energy policymaking. Her efforts helped strengthen communication between regulators and the public while expanding opportunities for stakeholder involvement in major energy decisions.
Her federal experience also includes serving as a Consumer Protection Expert at the U.S. Department of Energy. In that position, she contributed to initiatives focused on protecting consumers while supporting national energy policy objectives. Her work further deepened her understanding of the challenges associated with balancing affordability, energy security, sustainability, and market development.
Most recently, Katz served as Founder and Principal of Blue Swan Energy Strategies LLC, a consulting firm that advised utilities, policymakers, and energy-sector stakeholders on regulatory strategy, stakeholder engagement, and energy affordability issues. Through her advisory work, she helped organizations navigate regulatory challenges, develop policy approaches, and build productive relationships with government agencies and community stakeholders.
Her experience working with both public and private sector organizations has provided her with a comprehensive understanding of the energy industry’s evolving priorities. This combination of regulatory expertise and practical business insight is expected to be particularly valuable as Avangrid continues to expand its renewable energy portfolio and modernize utility operations.
Commenting on her appointment, Katz expressed enthusiasm about joining Avangrid and contributing to the company’s mission of supporting a cleaner and more resilient energy future.
“I’ve dedicated my career to ensuring that energy policy decisions reflect the needs of customers,” said Katz. “I look forward to joining the Avangrid team to advance thoughtful policies that balance affordability, reliability, and the needs of the future.”
Her statement highlights a recurring theme throughout her professional career: the belief that effective energy policy must serve both current customer needs and long-term sustainability goals. As policymakers and industry leaders work toward ambitious climate and clean energy objectives, balancing these priorities remains one of the sector’s most important challenges.
Earlier in her career, Katz held a variety of leadership positions in the private sector, where she focused on utility strategy, energy policy development, and grid modernization initiatives. These roles provided her with firsthand experience in addressing operational, regulatory, and technological challenges facing electric and gas utilities.
In addition to her industry experience, Katz has worked in legal and academic settings specializing in environmental and energy law. Her multidisciplinary background has enabled her to approach policy issues from multiple perspectives, including regulatory compliance, environmental stewardship, customer advocacy, and utility management.
Over the years, her contributions have earned widespread recognition across the energy sector. Among her many honors are the U.S. Department of Energy Secretary’s Honor Award and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Chairman’s Merit Award. These distinctions reflect her commitment to public service and her influence in shaping energy policy at both state and federal levels.
For Avangrid, Katz’s appointment represents more than a leadership transition—it signals the company’s ongoing commitment to engaging constructively with regulators, policymakers, customers, and communities. As the energy transition accelerates and infrastructure investments continue to grow, strong policy leadership will be critical in helping the company navigate regulatory complexity while advancing its strategic objectives.
With extensive expertise in consumer advocacy, utility regulation, stakeholder engagement, and energy policy development, Elin Swanson Katz is expected to play a key role in shaping Avangrid’s policy agenda and supporting the company’s efforts to deliver reliable, affordable, and sustainable energy solutions for years to come.
Source Link: https://www.businesswire.com/
