AUSTIN Courtney Hjaltman was sworn in Wednesday as commissioner of the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT). Hjaltman was appointed by Gov. Greg Abbott on June 24 and previously served as the chief executive and public counsel for the Office of Public Utility Counsel (OPUC).
“I want to thank Governor Abbott for his confidence and for the opportunity to continue serving the people of Texas,” Hjaltman said in a news release. “The Public Utility Commission of Texas is doing vital work to ensure critical utilities are reliable and affordable for all Texas consumers. That mission has been important to me throughout my career, and I look forward to working with my fellow commissioners and PUCT staff to build on their progress and support Texas’ continued growth and success.”
As the chief executive and public counsel at OPUC, Hjaltman led the agency’s representation of residential and small commercial customers in proceedings before the PUCT and the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT). She is an expert in the state’s electric, water, and telecommunication industries and has worked for the State of Texas in a variety of roles throughout her career.
Prior to her appointment at OPUC, Hjaltman served as deputy legislative director for Governor Abbott, working with members of the Texas Legislature and other stakeholders on various policy issues, which in the 87th Legislative Session included landmark legislation to improve the reliability of the ERCOT grid and institute first-ever weatherization requirements for ERCOT generation resources. Hjaltman has also worked in both the Texas Senate and Texas House for members on the Senate and House Natural Resources Committees, Senate Select Committee on Water Policy, and House State Affairs Committee.
Hjaltman graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor of Science in Corporate Communications and a Bachelor of Arts in Government. She earned her Juris Doctorate from South Texas College of Law.
Hjaltman’s appointment to the PUCT fills the only vacancy on the five-member Commission. She was appointed by Governor Abbott for a term set to expire on Sept. 1, 2025.
