Three Leading Energy Industry Experts Join Golden State Clean Energy Team

Megan Poage, Nancy Saracino, and Erica von Pechmann join Golden State Clean Energy that is spearheading the largest solar, storage, and electric transmission development program in the world

SACRAMENTO, Calif., Aug. 14, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Golden State Clean Energy (GSCE) announced the hiring of three highly respected energy industry experts: Megan Poage as Vice President of Business Development, Erica von Pechmann as General Counsel, and Nancy Saracino as Strategic Advisor. Each is an experienced, highly respected expert in their respective fields, with decades of experience in the energy industry. Their experience will further position GSCE as a leader in advancing clean energy solutions across California and the nation. They will be joining the experience-proven team in developing and implementing significant infrastructure projects that address some of the state's most challenging issues around electric transmission, water, storage, and clean energy.

"We are thrilled and honored to welcome Megan Poage, Nancy Saracino, and Erica von Pechmann to our team," said Bob Dowds, CEO of Golden State Clean Energy. "They are widely respected in the industry for good reason. Their proven expertise will support innovative master-planned development projects such as the Valley Clean Infrastructure Plan, which, upon completion, will generate over 20,000 megawatts (MW) of clean energy and storage for California."

Golden State Clean Energy is quickly becoming the leading infrastructure developer based in California, specializing in innovative master-planned projects for renewable energy, electric transmission, clean energy sources, storage and water. GSCE is dedicated to creating effective and dynamic solutions that address California's unique sustainability challenges, pushing the boundaries of scope and scale.

GSCE is leading the Valley Clean Infrastructure Plan (VCIP) master planning effort, which will be the world's largest clean energy, solar, storage, and transmission projects. Based in Fresno County, VCIP will dramatically advance California's clean energy goals by developing as much as 20,000 MW of clean energy and storage by repurposing up to 130,000 acres of drainage-impacted agriculture lands while helping preserve family farms and consolidating water resources. GSCE also was the initial developer of the Westlands Solar Park (WSP) which is a 2,700 MW renewable energy master-planned public-private project.

"The addition of Megan Poage, Nancy Saracino, and Erica von Pechmann significantly strengthens our capabilities," said Patrick Mealoy, COO of Golden State Clean Energy. "Their combined experience, market expertise and vision will be pivotal as we embark on the next phase of our transformational clean energy projects that will benefit our partners, the Central Valley and all of California as we move towards achieving the state's clean energy goals."

Megan Poage joins GSCE with over 15 years of experience in the energy industry, specializing in engineering, operations, policy, origination, and business development. She is considered one of the industry's top solar and storage experts, having executed over 2 gigawatts (GW) of long-term Power Purchase Agreements and overseeing over $2.6 billion of capital investments at NextEra Energy Resources. Megan understands the intricacies of California Independent System Operator (CAISO) markets and transmission systems due to her tenure at CAISO, where she was a NERC-certified electric grid operator managing 24X7 operations of California's electric grid. Additionally, she was instrumental in the policy design and framework for the Energy Imbalance Market, Day Ahead Market Enhancements, and critical market reliability improvements.

Nancy Saracino brings over 20 years of experience working in the energy sector in California and the Western United States on a broad spectrum of issues, including all aspects of regulatory approvals required for transmission, generation, and storage projects at the state and federal levels. Nancy served for seven years as the Vice President, General Counsel, Corporate Secretary, and Chief Compliance Officer at CAISO. Recognized as an effective leader on a wide array of energy and water issues, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger appointed Nancy to serve as chief counsel and then chief deputy director of the California Department of Water Resources, where she also served as the Governor's lead negotiator for restructuring the state's long-term electricity contracts. In 2019, Nancy was selected by Governor Gavin Newsom's Judicial Appointments Secretary to serve on a regional Judicial Selection Advisory Committee to provide feedback to the Administration on candidates for judicial appointments in California.

Erica von Pechmann has a decade of legal and practical expertise in renewable energy development and finance, as well as commercial real estate transactions. Erica joined GSCE from a publicly traded renewable energy company where she focused on the company's 4.5 GW renewable energy portfolio, providing strategic guidance on finance, mergers and acquisitions as well as the full project development lifecycle from conception through operations. Before that, Erica practiced at national law firms, Sidley Austin and Paul Hastings, leading complex transactions for wind, solar, and energy storage projects, including acquisitions, dispositions, joint venture, offtake, debt and equity financing (including tax equity). Since joining GSCE as General Counsel, she has played an integral part in finalizing site control for over 130,000 acres of future project sites and closing a debt financing secured by a 475 MW portfolio of solar and storage projects. Erica holds a J.D. from Harvard Law School.

About Golden State Clean Energy Golden State Clean Energy, LLC is California's premier infrastructure developer, reimagining master-planned development strategies for renewable energy and electric transmission, clean energy sources, and water. We develop innovative solutions that push the envelope of scope and scale to meet California's unique sustainability challenges and stakeholders – maximizing value for participants and investors; proven results with numerous economic, job, labor and benefits for local communities; strongly support the environment and stakeholders while benefiting the state, regional objectives and the ratepayers. To learn more about Golden State Clean Energy, visit goldenstatecleanenergy.com.

MEDIA CONTACT: Becky Warren
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SOURCE Golden State Clean Energy