Cheryl Mele will become the next senior vice president and chief operating officer of ERCOT, the independent system operator of the electric grid and competitive electric markets serving most of Texas. Mele, currently deputy general manager and chief operating officer at Austin Energy, will begin the new role in mid-January.
Mele currently serves as deputy general manager and chief operating officer of Austin Energy, where she leads all aspects of its power operations and planning efforts. She has worked nearly 30 years in the power industry, including positions as an engineer and system programmer with General Electric prior to joining Austin Energy in 1991.
A registered professional engineer in Texas, Mele has a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Union College in Schenectady, New York, and utility executive certification from the University of Idaho.