Jorge Carrasco

Jorge Carrasco is the Superintendent of Seattle City Light, the ninth largest public electric utility in the United States.  Carrasco was appointed by Mayor Greg Nickels in late 2003 and confirmed by the Seattle City Council in February 2004.  He was selected by the City Of Seattle to bring financial stability, maintain low rates, reduce debt and build cash reserves at City Light.

Since his appointment, Carrasco has reduced the utility’s debt ratio from 85% to 67% - well on the way to meet the 2010 goal of 60%; eliminated all short term debt and retired more than $277,000 in long-term debt; there has been no new borrowing since 2004; capital expenditures have been paid from existing cash balances; a $25 million emergency cash reserve fund was established in 2005; and in 2006 the utility was able to reduce rates for the 2007 – 2008 by an average of 8.4% for all customer classes.   In addition, Carrasco has reduced the vacancy rate at City Light from 14% at the end of 2006, to 5% at the end of 2007, with an emphasis on recruiting skilled crafts employees. 

Carrasco has supported and expanded City Light’s commitment to environmental stewardship.  For the third year in a row, City Light has been zero-net greenhouse gas emissions – the first electric utility in the country to make that claim.  Additionally, more acreage has been added for habitat protection along the Skagit River – to the benefit of fish and wildlife.  Efforts to protect and enhance salmon runs on the Skagit have shown dramatic results.

J.D. Powers ranked Seattle City Light #4 in customer service among medium sized western electric utilities.  This was up from a ranking of #11 in 2004 when he came to City Light.

Carrasco came to the utility as a result of a national search.  He brings a background in the public and private sector, including many years in the utility world.  Before City Light, he was promoted to the position of president at New Jersey-based American Water Services.  Carrasco was also general manager of East Bay Municipal Utility District, a water and wastewater utility serving more than one million customers in Oakland, Berkeley and the eastern San Francisco Bay.   Other public sector roles he has served include City Managers of Scottsdale, Arizona and Austin, Texas.

Carrasco grew up in Laredo,Texas and graduated magna cum laude from the University of Texas at Austin.  He received an MBA from St. Edwards University in Austin. 

He lives in the Magnolia neighborhood of Seattle with his wife Jer.  Their son Ben is a practicing attorney at Baker Botts LLP in Texas.