INFEWS student appointed to the Board of Commissioners for the LADWP

LADWP Wind Facility (Photo credit: Nurit Katz)

Few organizations in Los Angeles exemplify the nexus of energy and water than the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP). In October of 2022, INFEWS student Nurit Katz (2022-2023 cohort) was appointed by Mayor Garcetti to serve on the Board of Commissioners for LADWP. The five-member board establishes policy for LADWP. In 2020, the board became the first all-women board in the utility’s hundred-year history [1].

LADWP is the largest municipal water and power utility in the nation serving the over 4 million residents of Los Angeles. The mission of the organization is “ to support the growth and vitality of the City of Los Angeles, its residents, businesses, and the communities we serve, providing safe, reliable, and cost-effective water and power in a customer-focused and environmentally responsible manner” [2].

LADWP is now aiming for 100% renewable energy by 2045, under direction from Los Angeles City Council. Ms. Katz previously served on the Advisory Group for LA100: The Los Angeles 100% Renewable Energy Study, a study by NREL that integrated engineering and economic analysis to evaluate the feasibility of the hundred percent renewable energy target [3].

LADWP has a history of collaboration with UCLA on research and operations. As Chief Sustainability Officer for UCLA, Ms. Katz worked closely with LADWP staff in developing a historic renewable rate agreement for the university. UCLA now receives 10 MegaWatts of off-site solar through that agreement. UCLA also works closely with LADWP on energy efficiency and water conservation. In May 2022, UCLA Energy Services received a sustainability award from LADWP for leadership in energy management. The annual city-wide awards recognize commercial customers whose participation in the department’s rebate program results in substantial positive environmental impacts [4].

On the research side, LADWP has a $5 million Memorandum of Agreement with the UCLA Sustainable LA Grand Challenge to support energy and research [5]. Recently more than 20 UCLA faculty and researchers have entered into a $2.6 million agreement to conduct research for the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power to help the city achieve its goal of producing all of its energy from carbon-free and renewable energy sources by 2035 and doing so in ways that benefit all Angelenos equitably [6].

Nurit looks forward to her new role as Commissioner and hopes to build on prior collaborations with the utility in sustainability to support LA’s transition to a more sustainable, resilient, and equitable region.