Phillip G. Harris is Senior Advisor to ZGlobal, providing expertise in organized electricity markets, regulatory matters, market analysis, and transmission. He also supports ZGlobal clients with transmission rate-of-return analysis, NERC reliability criteria, and the development of direct current transmission projects.
Mr. Harris is widely recognized for his leadership role in the formation and growth of PJM Interconnection. Under his vision and leadership, PJM evolved from an eight-utility agreement into the world’s largest competitive wholesale electricity market, ensuring the reliability of the largest centrally dispatched electric grid in the world. PJM now includes more than 450 member organizations, serves approximately 51 million people, and has administered more than $71 billion in energy and energy-service transactions since regional markets opened in 1997.
Mr. Harris also played a pivotal role in establishing cooperative agreements with major international grid operators, including Électricité de France, Tokyo Electric Power Company, North China Grid Company, and the Korea Power Exchange, supporting global efforts to meet rapidly growing demand for reliable and affordable power.
He has served as a member of the North American Electric Reliability Council Board of Trustees and is a member of the National Association of Corporate Directors, serving on its Corporate Advisory Committee. In 2005, Mr. Harris was named CEO of the Year by the Platts Global Energy Awards, becoming the first executive from his industry to receive the honor. In 2006, PJM was named Energy Transporter of the Year by Platts. His leadership was also instrumental in achieving the James H. McGraw Award for Business Excellence and the Computerworld Smithsonian Award for Technical Innovation, which was placed in the permanent research collection of the Smithsonian Institution.
Mr. Harris frequently provides expert testimony on electric industry issues before federal and state regulatory agencies, Congress, and state legislatures. He has authored numerous articles on competitive electricity markets and is frequently quoted by national media outlets, including The Wall Street Journal, CNN, C-SPAN, Forbes, Fortune, and Time. He has also been a featured speaker in the National Press Club’s Newsmaker Series and was named to World-Generation’s Class of 2005.
Education & Certifications
A native of New Mexico, Mr. Harris is a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point with a degree in Applied Science and Engineering. He earned a Master of Arts in Business Management, with an emphasis in research and statistical methodology, from the University of Northern Colorado. He is a Certified Management Accountant and a Computer Systems Professional.