Benjamin Felton joins Portland General Electric as Chief Operating Officer

Rhea-AI Summary

Portland General Electric (PGE) has appointed Benjamin Felton as the new Chief Operating Officer, effective April 3, 2023. Felton, who brings over 30 years of energy industry experience, will oversee utility operations, focusing on generation, distribution, engineering, and safety. He previously served as senior vice president at DTE and held leadership roles at NiSource and Consumers Energy. PGE aims for an 80% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from its power supply by 2030 and aims for 100% reduction by 2040. The company operates in Oregon and serves over 900,000 customers.

Positive

• Appointment of Benjamin Felton as COO, bringing extensive industry experience.
• Focus on clean energy transition aligns with state goals for emission reductions.
• PGE's commitment to community engagement demonstrated through charitable donations.

Negative

• None.

Energy executive brings deep industry knowledge, strong leadership and proven operating expertise to PGE's commitment to delivering safe, reliable and affordable clean energy.

PORTLAND, Ore., March 20, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Portland General Electric (PGE) (NYSE:POR) announced the appointment of Benjamin (Ben) Felton as the company's new Chief Operating Officer, effective April 3, 2023. In his role, Felton will lead the utility operations groups, including generation, distribution, engineering, project management, environmental, construction, safety and other operations-focused areas.

"We are pleased to welcome Ben to PGE," said Maria Pope, president and CEO. "Ben brings a wealth of experience and deep operating expertise to our team and will play a key leadership role as we continue to serve customers with safe, reliable and affordable power, leading Oregon's clean energy transition."

Felton comes to PGE with more than 30 years of energy industry experience with Consumers Energy, NiSource and DTE. He was most recently the senior vice president of Energy Supply at DTE. Prior to his current role, he held a variety of senior leadership positions including leading Electric Operations and Power Delivery at NIPSCO a subsidiary of NiSource, and Electric Systems Operations and Maintenance at Consumers Energy.

"I am honored to join PGE, a company known for its innovation and clean energy leadership," said Felton. "There is a wealth of opportunity at PGE, and I am pleased to lead utility operations, bringing together core functions in driving a safe, efficient, customer-focused operating environment." 

Felton holds a degree in Business Management and received a Master of Arts in Business Administration and Management from Spring Arbor University.

About Portland General Electric Company

Portland General Electric (NYSE: POR) is a fully integrated energy company that generates, transmits and distributes electricity to over 900,000 customers in 51 cities across the state of Oregon. For more than 130 years, Portland General Electric (PGE) has powered the advancement of society, delivering safe, affordable, reliable and increasingly clean energy. To deliver on its strategy and meet state targets, PGE and its approximately 3,000 employees are committed to partnering with stakeholders to achieve at least an 80% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from power served to customers by 2030 and 100% reduction by 2040. PGE customers set the standard for prioritizing clean energy with the No. 1 voluntary renewable energy program in the country. Additionally, for the fifth year in a row, PGE was recognized by the Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index which highlights companies committed to creating a more equal and inclusive workplace. As a reflection of the company's commitment to the community it serves, in 2022, PGE employees, retirees and the PGE Foundation donated nearly $5.5 million and volunteered more than 18,000 hours with more than 400 nonprofits across Oregon. For more information visit www.PortlandGeneral.com/news.

Safe Harbor Statement

Statements in this press release that relate to future plans, objectives, expectations, performance, events and the like may constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements include statements regarding the company's investments in projects that advance its decarbonization strategy and other sustainability goals as well as other statements containing words such as "anticipates," "believes," "intends," "estimates," "promises," "expects," "should," "conditioned upon," and similar expressions. Investors are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, including, without limitation: demand for electricity; the sale of excess energy during periods of low demand or low wholesale market prices; operational risks relating to the Company's generation facilities, including hydro conditions, wind conditions, disruption of fuel supply, and unscheduled plant outages, which may result in unanticipated operating, maintenance and repair costs, as well as replacement power costs; failure to complete capital projects on schedule or within budget, or the abandonment of capital projects, which could result in the Company's inability to recover project costs; the costs of compliance with environmental laws and regulations, including those that govern emissions from thermal power plants; changes in weather, hydroelectric and energy markets conditions, which could affect the availability and cost of purchased power and fuel; the development of alternative technologies; changes in capital and credit market conditions, which could affect the access to and availability of cost of capital and result in delay or cancellation of capital projects or execution of the Company's strategic plan as currently envisioned; the outcome of various legal and regulatory actions; general economic and financial market conditions; severe weather conditions, wildfires, and other natural phenomena and natural disasters that could result in operational disruptions, unanticipated restoration costs, or liability for third party property damage; cyber security breaches of the Company's customer information system or operating systems, data security breaches, or acts of terrorism, which could disrupt operations, require significant expenditures, or result in claims against the Company; PGE business activities are concentrated in one region and future performance may be affected by events and factors unique to Oregon; and widespread health emergencies or outbreaks of infectious diseases, which may affect our financial position, results of operations and cash flows. As a result, actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements.

CONTACT:  
Sarah Hamaker  
Sarah.hamaker@pgn.com  
503.464.2067

Source: Portland General Company

 

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/benjamin-felton-joins-portland-general-electric-as-chief-operating-officer-301775508.html

SOURCE Portland General Company

FAQ

Who is the new COO of Portland General Electric (POR)?

Benjamin Felton has been appointed as the new Chief Operating Officer of Portland General Electric, effective April 3, 2023.

What are Portland General Electric's emission reduction targets?

Portland General Electric aims for an 80% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and 100% by 2040.

How many customers does Portland General Electric serve?

Portland General Electric serves over 900,000 customers across Oregon.

What experience does Benjamin Felton bring to PGE?

Benjamin Felton has over 30 years of experience in the energy industry, including senior leadership roles at DTE and NiSource.

When did Benjamin Felton join Portland General Electric?

Benjamin Felton joined Portland General Electric as COO, effective April 3, 2023.