Manu Asthana, the PJM Interconnection president and CEO, who steered the transmission organization through the pandemic but became a lightning rod of controversy for his advocacy of traditional energy sources. He resigned on Monday and will stay on as a senior advisor to the PJM Board through June 2026.
Asthana, who has led the largest regional transmission organization in North America since 2019, is credited with guiding PJM through the COVID-19 pandemic, market reforms, interconnection process overhauls, and strengthening the risk-management framework. He has been an outspoken voice for grid reliability amid growing electricity demand.
“The PJM Board is grateful to Manu for his strong leadership during a time of tremendous change,” said Board Chair Mark Takahashi. “We have a strong executive team and are considering both internal and external candidates for the role.”
The news of Asthana’s departure comes as PJM is struggling to meet the 13-state region’s growing energy needs. More data centers are coming online and the demands of artificial intelligence technology are surging while aging coal and natural-gas powered plants close. An E&ENews story in December said the number of data centers planned or under construction in northern Virginia will double power demand from data centers in the region to 7 GW in 2030.
Asthana has warned that the region could face power shortages in the next few years unless electricity can be generated. The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities informed electricity customers in February that electricity costs will rise at least 17% beginning June 1.
“The PJM system is reliable today, but we are keenly aware of the challenges we face as system reserves continue to erode,” Asthana said. “The trends we are seeing raise system risk under the kind of extreme weather we have seen over the past few years.”
The board has formed a CEO search committee and hired executive search firm Korn Ferry to lead the search process, with plans to conclude by year’s end.
Asthana said the decision was driven by his desire to return to Texas to be closer to family. “It’s been a privilege to lead PJM’s dedicated team and serve the 67 million people who rely on us,” he said.
Before his current role, Asthana served as president of Direct Energy Home in North America. He previously led power generation operations at Direct Energy, energy trading at both Direct Energy and at the TXU group of companies, as well as generation optimization and dispatch at TXU. Asthana also served as chief risk officer of TXU Corp., where he helped senior management and the board quantify and manage risk in TXU’s businesses.
New Jersey officials have grown increasingly frustrated with PJM’s operations, accusing the grid operator of prioritizing fossil fuel projects over renewable energy. Last year, PJM advocated for natural gas generation ahead of wind and solar options because of their ability to operate around the clock. The PJM proposal has drawn the ire of renewable energy developers, climate policy advocates, and state consumer protection agencies.
“Manu Asthana’s departure from PJM comes as no surprise after years of mismanagement that have prioritized polluting energy sources over affordability, reliability, and public health,” said Ed Potosnak, executive director, New Jersey League of Conservation Voters. “PJM’s continued support for dirty oil and gas—despite their market volatility and devastating health impacts like asthma, heart disease, and cancer—has driven up energy prices and hurt New Jersey families. Clean energy, especially solar, is not only the cheapest option, but also the healthiest and most reliable.”
PJM Interconnection is the Valley Forge, Pa.-based regional energy transmission organization that coordinates the movement of wholesale electricity in all or parts of 13 states and the District of Columbia.
