Governor Greg Abbott appointed Courtney Hjaltman to serve as a commissioner on the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) on June 24, 2024, for a term set to expire on Sept. 1, 2025.
Hjaltman previously served as the chief executive and public counsel for the Office of Public Utility Counsel (OPUC) by appointment of Governor Abbott. At OPUC, she led the agency's representation of residential and small commercial customers in proceedings before the PUCT, State Office of Administrative Hearings, state courts, and the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT).
Hjaltman 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 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.