Nearly seven months after losing his seat in Calgary-Elbow, former MLA Greg Clark has been hired to chair Alberta’s balancing pool.
The former Alberta Party leader lost his seat in April’s provincial election to the UCP’s Doug Schweitzer, who was later named justice minister.
“Mr. Clark’s knowledge of both industry and government will greatly benefit the balancing pool board in carrying out its duties,” Energy Minister Sonya Savage said in a news release Thursday. “He has a proven record of providing leadership, building strong relationships and standing up for Albertans.”
Clark, who co-founded a technology-based professional services organization, issued a statement about his new role.
“Albertans deserve clear, accountable, non-partisan management of the balancing pool,” he said in a news release.
“I am looking forward to taking on the role of board chair and utilizing my past experiences to further strengthen the organization’s leadership.”
Clark will serve a three-year term for the entity, a non-profit statutory corporation established in 1999 under the Electric Utilities Act.
The government says the balancing pool was created to “help manage the transition from a fully regulated market structure to a competitive electricity industry.”
“It has two primary roles: to manage the financial accounts arising from the transition to a competitive market on behalf of electricity consumers (and) to meet the obligations and responsibilities associated with power purchase arrangements.”
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Clark’s hiring marks the second time in less than two months that the UCP government has appointed a former Alberta Party leader to a prominent position with a provincial entity.
In September, former Alberta Party leader and Progressive Conservative health minister Stephen Mandel was appointed to sit on the governing board of Alberta Health Services.
READ MORE: Stephen Mandel steps down as Alberta Party leader
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