Jim Tracy is a senior consultant at LRI. He is an expert in utility finance, serving as Treasurer for the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) for a decade and then as SMUD’s Chief Financial Officer for another decade. As CFO, he provided input to the utility’s strategic plans and policies. He was responsible for treasury, accounting, budget, resource planning, enterprise risk management, capital allocation and rates. Jim led the cost/risk evaluation of many major generation projects SMUD considered adding to their system including pumped hydro, thermal and renewable power plants. He analyzed the financial impact of SMUD’s attempted annexation of Yolo county cities that desired to become part of SMUD’s service area. He also led the change in how low-income assistance was structured to better focus subsidies on those customers needing help the most.
Prior to working for SMUD, Jim served as a consultant reviewing rate filings to the CPUC and FERC for municipal clients in California, providing analysis and testimony to support their interests in the filings. He provided valuations of utility plant and equipment to support the purchase price of that equipment. He also modeled utility generation assets and contracts to provide the estimated cost of power under various market conditions and system expansions.
Jim received a Bachelor’s degree in business, finance and accounting from the University of Missouri, and a Master’s degree in economics, also from the University of Missouri.
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