Jim Collins has over 30 years experience in the electric power industry including experience at the executive level in power plant development, wholesale power marketing, plant operations and mergers and acquisitions. Mr. Collins has been heavily involved in regulatory activities, negotiation of transmission agreements, industrial joint ventures and wholesale power negotiations from both the regulated and non-regulated viewpoint.

Mr. Collins founded and is President of Mesquite Energy Ventures, LP, a development company focusing on distributed generation and peaking capacity in urban areas. Mr. Collins regularly works with governmental bodies, citizens groups and taxing authorities in siting, developing and building these projects.

Beginning his career as an engineer with Dallas Power & Light Company, a predecessor company to TXU, Mr. Collins progressed to the senior engineer level in Power Plant Engineering. Mr. Collins was also the Assistant Division Manager of the Real Estate and Right-of-Way Division and during this period became active in the regulatory arena. With the creation of Texas Utilities, Mr. Collins assumed responsibility for the Civil/Structural design of all Texas Utilities’ new fossil fuel power plants. His next assignment was in Texas Utilities’ Washington, D.C. office where he served as the primary interface with FERC and other federal regulatory agencies. Upon his return to Texas, Mr. Collins negotiated transmission and wholesale power agreements with IOUs, electric cooperatives and municipally owned utilities and large industrial customers.

Mr. Collins was primarily responsible for the establishment of the ERCOT office for LG&E and managed its wholesale power operations in Texas and later led its development activities in the state leading to the development of over 2,100 MW of new generation. Mr. Collins was the Vice President Business Development for Texas Independent Energy responsible for the marketing of 2,000 MW of new merchant generation and the development of an additional 3,000 MW of new merchant plants.

Mr. Collins served 23 years in the United States Army Reserve retiring with the rank of Major. Mr. Collins is a graduate of the Army’s Command and General Staff Officers College.

Mr. Collins holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering from New Mexico State University and a Masters of Science Degree in Civil Engineering with emphasis on Structures and Geotechnics from the University of Texas at Arlington.

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