A recent consumer report indicated that more than thirty percent of our Clark County community is struggling to pay their bills. Although utility rates are rising slower than medical and food expenses, the cash crunch is real. Clark Public Utilities has kept rates stable due to access to local hydropower and utility-owned generation. Conservation attributable to LED technology and smart thermostats have also stabilized peak demands.

Sherry Erickson has over 30 years of work experience in business management, engineering design, and consulting.  As a licensed engineer, she designed energy efficient buildings, including hospitals, churches, office buildings, and schools.  LEED certified buildings curb electrical consumption throughout our region. As a business manager, Sherry successfully launched two local engineering consulting firms that also focused on infrastructure development and rehabilitation.

As a senior consultant in the utilities industry, Sherry Erickson provided comprehensive rate design, cost-of-service analyses, AMI data analytics solutions, and regulatory compliance consultation to municipalities and utilities across the US.

Notably, Sherry Erickson worked directly with the CFO to launch the Orange County Power Authority (OCPA) in 2022. Her budget model and participation on a forward-thinking team allowed OCPA to provide commercial, municipal, and residential electrical service with flexible renewable energy power supply options and rates lower than Pacific Gas and Electric (the competing Investor-Owned Utility). “OCPA believes choosing electricity generated from renewable sources rather than fossil fuels and reducing the world’s growing carbon footprint is a powerful step to ensuring a greener tomorrow for generations to come.”

Our community needs an experienced voice to establish policies and practices that foster economic stability at our Public Utility District.  Every dollar counts when balancing economics with environmental stewardship.

The Clark Public Utilities executives and board of commissioners will need to put their best foot forward to meet greenhouse gas reduction targets as set forth in the Clean Energy Transformation Act and maintain enough generation to keep the lights on 24/7.  Hydropower will continue to play a central role in the PNW energy supply and will be a commissioner consideration as the BPA power supply contract is up for renewal in 2028.  Additional areas of focus include technological innovations in energy storage and distributed energy resources.

Electric vehicles for residential and commercial use reduce carbon emissions, but also increase electricity demand. Solar installations reduce demand, especially when it is paired with on-site battery storage. But fixed operational cost recovery will need to be addressed to avoid cost-shifting.

Climate change is a pressing threat facing our nation and world, but it is also more than that.  Reduced emissions improve our local air quality, overall health, and creates jobs. As Clark Public Utilities begins to roll out its AMI (Advanced Metering Infrastructure), Sherry Erickson has the experience and insight needed to provide TOU (Time of Use) rate incentives and data sharing that will allow rate payers to monitor their own electrical consumption, lower peak demand, and increase cost savings.

Although the water utility has fewer customers, Clark Public Utilities places a high priority on water conservation and habitat restoration. In 2019, Sherry Erickson joined the conservation effort and became a Stream Steward for Clark Public Utilities. The StreamTeam program educates consumers concerned about our local watersheds, promotes local ecology, and improves our community health through action. Sherry Erickson applauds the utility’s eco conservation efforts and personally helped plant the “more than one million” trees in our community.

To foster a healthy and sustainable community our Public Utility District needs effective and proven leadership and accessible energy programs throughout Clark County.