Delaware News

Secretary of State Announces Departure of Public Advocate 

Department of State | Division of the Public Advocate | Date Posted: Thursday, February 16, 2023


Delaware Department of State Press Release Cover Photo

Secretary of State Jeff Bullock on Thursday announced that Andrew (Drew) Slater will depart from his role as Delaware Public Advocate on Friday, February 17, 2023, and will assume a new role as Executive Director of the Sustainable Energy Utility, Inc., also known as Energize Delaware. Ruth Ann Price, who has served as Deputy Public Advocate, will become Acting Public Advocate until a candidate is appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Delaware State Senate.

“Drew’s knowledge and steadfast commitment to ensuring that Delawareans have the lowest reasonable utility rates will be sorely missed,” said Secretary Bullock. “In my years in state government, no one has been a more vocal advocate for consumers. Drew will have a great opportunity to promote clean and affordable energy in his new role, and I wish him well.”

The Division of the Public Advocate advocates for the lowest reasonable rates, principally on behalf of residential and small commercial consumers, consistent with the maintenance of adequate utility service and consistent with an equitable distribution of rates among all classes of consumers.

“I am excited for the opportunity to be the Executive Director of Energize Delaware,” said Andrew Slater, Delaware Public Advocate. “Our team at the Division continues to be responsive to Delawareans’ needs, which is evidenced through what we have accomplished over the past six years.”

As the Public Advocate, Slater advocated for regulated utility consumers in utility rate cases, the Artificial Island project cost allocation, several legislative initiatives such as increasing the RPS and Community Solar, Utility Distribution Planning, reducing utility rates as a result of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, and many other initiatives.

Slater was appointed Delaware’s Public Advocate by Governor Carney and confirmed by the Senate on January 25, 2017, and reappointed and confirmed in 2021. During his tenure, Slater served as the Vice President of the National Association of State Utility Consumer Advocates (NASUCA)—the highest rank obtained for any Delaware Public Advocate thus far. He has also served on a number of boards including, the GTI Public Interest Advisory Committee, the Sustainable Energy Utility (Energize Delaware), the Renewable Energy Task Force, the National Association of Regulated Utility Commissioners (NARUC) Subcommittee on COVID-19, the Biggs Museum of the American Art, and others.

Prior to his role as the Public Advocate, Slater was then-Congressman Carney’s Kent/Sussex Coordinator. He began his career in public service nearly 20 years ago as an intern for then-U.S. Senator Joe Biden on the Foreign Relations Committee and spent 10 years working for the Delaware State Senate.

Slater is a graduate of Washington College and received a master’s degree from Wilmington University in 2011. He lives in Camden with his wife Laura, and two children.

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Secretary of State Announces Departure of Public Advocate 

Department of State | Division of the Public Advocate | Date Posted: Thursday, February 16, 2023


Delaware Department of State Press Release Cover Photo

Secretary of State Jeff Bullock on Thursday announced that Andrew (Drew) Slater will depart from his role as Delaware Public Advocate on Friday, February 17, 2023, and will assume a new role as Executive Director of the Sustainable Energy Utility, Inc., also known as Energize Delaware. Ruth Ann Price, who has served as Deputy Public Advocate, will become Acting Public Advocate until a candidate is appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Delaware State Senate.

“Drew’s knowledge and steadfast commitment to ensuring that Delawareans have the lowest reasonable utility rates will be sorely missed,” said Secretary Bullock. “In my years in state government, no one has been a more vocal advocate for consumers. Drew will have a great opportunity to promote clean and affordable energy in his new role, and I wish him well.”

The Division of the Public Advocate advocates for the lowest reasonable rates, principally on behalf of residential and small commercial consumers, consistent with the maintenance of adequate utility service and consistent with an equitable distribution of rates among all classes of consumers.

“I am excited for the opportunity to be the Executive Director of Energize Delaware,” said Andrew Slater, Delaware Public Advocate. “Our team at the Division continues to be responsive to Delawareans’ needs, which is evidenced through what we have accomplished over the past six years.”

As the Public Advocate, Slater advocated for regulated utility consumers in utility rate cases, the Artificial Island project cost allocation, several legislative initiatives such as increasing the RPS and Community Solar, Utility Distribution Planning, reducing utility rates as a result of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, and many other initiatives.

Slater was appointed Delaware’s Public Advocate by Governor Carney and confirmed by the Senate on January 25, 2017, and reappointed and confirmed in 2021. During his tenure, Slater served as the Vice President of the National Association of State Utility Consumer Advocates (NASUCA)—the highest rank obtained for any Delaware Public Advocate thus far. He has also served on a number of boards including, the GTI Public Interest Advisory Committee, the Sustainable Energy Utility (Energize Delaware), the Renewable Energy Task Force, the National Association of Regulated Utility Commissioners (NARUC) Subcommittee on COVID-19, the Biggs Museum of the American Art, and others.

Prior to his role as the Public Advocate, Slater was then-Congressman Carney’s Kent/Sussex Coordinator. He began his career in public service nearly 20 years ago as an intern for then-U.S. Senator Joe Biden on the Foreign Relations Committee and spent 10 years working for the Delaware State Senate.

Slater is a graduate of Washington College and received a master’s degree from Wilmington University in 2011. He lives in Camden with his wife Laura, and two children.

image_printPrint

Related Topics:  , , , , ,


Graphic that represents delaware news on a mobile phone

Keep up to date by receiving a daily digest email, around noon, of current news release posts from state agencies on news.delaware.gov.

Here you can subscribe to future news updates.