SEATTLE—Mayor Katie Wilson announced January 16 the appointment of Dennis McLerran as the new general manager and chief executive officer of Seattle City Light, replacing Dawn Lindell, who has led the utility since 2024. McLerran, a seasoned environmental attorney, will assume the role on March 4, pending potential City Council confirmation for a permanent position.
The move comes as Seattle City Light, the ninth-publicly owned utility in the United States serving more than 500,000 customers, navigates challenges like climate adaptation and energy affordability. Wilson praised McLerran’s expertise in environmental policy as key to advancing the city’s clean energy goals. Craig Smith, the utility’s current chief customer officer, will serve as interim leader until McLerran’s arrival.
McLerran, 63, brings decades of experience in environmental law and policy. He currently works at Cascadia Law Group, advising municipal clients, ports and Washington’s largest private utility on issues like carbon planning and air quality permitting. From 2010 to 2017, he served as regional administrator for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Region 10 under President Barack Obama, overseeing environmental regulations in Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Alaska.
Earlier, McLerran led the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency as executive director from 1994 to 2010, where he spearheaded initiatives to meet national air quality standards and pushed for state climate legislation. His policy work includes leading Washington’s adoption of California vehicle emission standards and co-chairing Gov. Jay Inslee’s Maritime Blue Advisory Committee to promote a low-carbon maritime sector. McLerran also held roles in the Seattle City Attorney’s Office and as director of the city’s Department of Construction and Land Use. He chairs the Governor’s Leadership Council for the Puget Sound Partnership, focusing on ecosystem recovery.
Under Seattle’s municipal structure, the mayor holds authority to appoint the general manager and CEO of City Light, with the City Council providing confirmation for four-year terms. The utility’s leadership team includes the CEO, chief operating officer, chief of staff and officers overseeing power supply, finance and other divisions. McLerran’s interim appointment bypasses immediate confirmation, but a permanent role would require council approval.
Lindell, who joined Seattle City Light in 2024 after a national search, departs amid the leadership transition. With over 25 years in the utilities sector, she previously served as general manager of Burbank Water and Power in California, where she oversaw water, power and high-speed internet services. Before that, Lindell was senior vice president and Rocky Mountain regional manager for the Western Area Power Administration in Lakewood, Colorado, managing power marketing and grid operations across multiple states with a budget exceeding $400 million. No specific reason was given for her replacement, but the shift aligns with Wilson’s emphasis on environmental expertise.
SCL ranks as the ninth-largest publicly owned electric utility nationwide based on customers served. It owns around 2,000 megawatts of generation capacity, primarily from low-cost, environmentally responsible hydroelectric facilities, which produce about half of its energy supply in an average year. SCL’s proposed 2026 appropriations total $1.81 billion, including $1.3 billion for operations and $511 million for capital projects.
Author: Mario Lotmore
One Response
Puppets pulling Wilson’s strings have made another foolish move. Too much power in the hands of those who should not have access to the levers of power and the public suffers these fools.