Spanberger appoints inaugural chief energy officer

Gov. Abigail Spanberger appointed an inaugural chief energy officer, attorney Josephus Allmond, on Wednesday.

With an executive order, Spanberger created the cabinet role to address rising energy costs, increase clean energy generation in Virginia and develop a statewide energy strategy, according to a news release. Allmond will work with the state secretary of trade and commerce, the Virginia Department of Energy, PJM Interconnection and energy utility providers.

“Today, I am taking decisive action to respond to the concerns I hear from Virginians about the high cost of energy,” Spanberger said in a statement. “It is critical to make sure families and businesses have access to affordable, reliable energy so that Virginia businesses can stay competitive, while also meeting our long-term clean energy goals.”

Allmond comes to the state government from the Southern Environmental Law Center‘s Charlottesville office, where he was most recently a staff attorney. At the SELC, Allmond handled solar cases and appeared before the Virginia State Corporation Commission, litigating dozens of utility regulatory cases related to air and solar energy. He also worked with the Virginia Environmental Justice Collaborative.

He has expertise in rate cases, integrated resource plans, net energy metering, interconnection and renewable portfolio standard proceedings, according to the governor’s news release, as well as legislative advocacy experience. Allmond is a citizen member of the state’s Commission on Energy Utility Regulation.

“By maximizing the use of our existing grid, making sure high energy use customers are not driving up energy bills for everyone else and prioritizing the deployment of more homegrown clean energy and battery storage, we will ensure that our energy future remains sustainable, predictable and — most importantly — affordable for Virginians,” Allmond said in a statement.

While at Duke’s law school, Allmond was a summer associate at Baker Botts and Kirkland & Ellis. He also holds a master’s degree in climate science and solutions and a bachelor’s degree in political science from Northern Arizona University, and he serves on the university’s alumni association board. Allmond also has an associate’s degree from Butte College and graduated from the political leadership program of the University of Virginia’s Sorensen Institute for Civic Leadership.

Allmond also serves on the Charlottesville Area Community Foundation’s board and local impact investing committee. He received the Dr. Marcus L. Martin Leadership Award from 100 Black Men of Central Virginia, which seeks to eliminate the achievement gap of Black male students in grades K-12.