Another ERCOT board member resigns after Texas winter storm, power outages
Another Electric Reliability Council of Texas board member has resigned following the winter storm that left millions without power.
Clifton Karnei, executive vice president of the Brazos Electric Power Cooperative Inc., resigned Thursday, a spokesperson for ERCOT confirmed. Karnei’s resignation comes after six other board members vacated their seats following backlash about their living outside of Texas.
During a Thursday hearing in the Texas House of Representatives, ERCOT CEO Bill Magness said he’d learned a longtime board member had resigned, but did not provide a name.
It was not immediately clear why Karnei resigned, but Magness said “I think that has to do more with his company.” Asked why Karnei resigned, spokesperson Leslie Sopko said in a text she did not know and that ERCOT had just received word of his resignation Thursday evening.
Brazos Electric Power Cooperative Inc. is based in Waco. Karnei’s city of residence was not immediately clear.
A message left on Karnei’s office phone was not immediately returned.
Karnei’s name, along with other board members who’ve resigned this week, is no longer listed on ERCOT’s website. But according to an archived webpage containing his biography, Karnei has held his position with Brazos Electric Power Cooperative, Inc. since 1997. He graduated in 1983 from the University of Texas at San Antonio.
Five board members and an alternate board member announced their resignations earlier this week.
Board Chairwoman Sally Talberg, Vice Chair Peter Cramton and board members Terry Bulger, Raymond Hepper and Vanessa Anesetti-Parra removed themselves from the board following reports they didn’t live in Texas. Alternate board member Randal Miller also resigned, and Craig Ivey, a candidate to fill a vacant board position, withdrew his name from consideration.
Gov. Greg Abbott recently called for ERCOT leadership to resign. On Tuesday, he said the resignations were welcomed.
This story was originally published February 25, 2021 at 8:56 PM with the headline "Another ERCOT board member resigns after Texas winter storm, power outages."
