James P. Avery, Senior Vice President -- Power Supply

James P. Avery is the Senior Vice President, Power Supply for San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E), a regulated subsidiary of Sempra Energy, a San Diego-based Fortune 500 energy services holding company whose subsidiaries provide electricity, natural gas and value-added products and services.

SDG&E is a regulated public utility that provides service to 3.4 million consumers through 1.4 million electric meters and 840,000 gas meters in San Diego and southern Orange counties.

As senior vice president of power supply, Avery oversees the company’s generation, system planning, project development and electric procurement business unit operations. In addition, Avery is responsible for the company’s Smart Grid technologies, policies and initiatives.

Prior to joining SDG&E, Avery was a consultant with R.J. Rudden Associates, one of the nation’s leading management and economic consulting firms specializing in energy and utility matters. Avery has extensive experience in utility operations and management. He was the chief executive officer of the electric and gas operations at Citizens Utilities Company, a multi-service organization that provided electric, gas, telecom, water and wastewater services in 21 states across the nation. He is the Chairman of the California Transmission Planning Group, a Director of the California Power Exchange and has served as a Director of Vermont Electric Power Company, RJ Rudden Associates and he held positions at American Electric Power.

Avery is an expert in energy markets, electric production, transmission and distribution operations.

He also is a senior member of the Association of Energy Engineers, the National Society of Professional Engineers, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers and American Mensa.

Avery is a graduate of the Executive Management Program at Dartmouth College and he holds a Bachelor of Engineering degree from Manhattan College.