The following is a letter sent to the CEO of Liberty, Chris Huskilson, by David Jinkens and reprinted here.

Dear Mr. Huskilson:

Thank you for your service to your company and our region.

As a South Lake Tahoe City Council member, I respectfully ask for a quick update on NV Energy’s plan to stop supplying electricity wholesale to Liberty Utilities’ Lake Tahoe area in 2027, and how this may affect our city, economy, and customers.  Up until a few days ago, neither city officials nor customers knew of this change and only learned of this matter through a publication called Cal Matters.

As you know, Liberty’s customers in South Lake Tahoe rely on clear, timely, and transparent communication from their utility provider—particularly when facing a transition of this magnitude. The City has not yet received a comprehensive explanation of Liberty’s procurement strategy, reliability modeling, or contingency planning for the period following NV Energy’s withdrawal. Given the region’s winter load profile, tourism‑driven peaks, and emergency‑response dependencies, this information is essential for responsible municipal planning.

To that end, I am requesting a formal briefing to the City Council that includes:

1. A detailed timeline for Liberty’s procurement process to replace NV Energy’s supply.

2. Reliability and capacity modeling, including winter peak scenarios and contingency plans.

3. Projected rate impacts on the public and businesses associated with new wholesale power contracts or transmission arrangements.

4. Status of Liberty’s access to the Greenlink Nevada transmission project and any alternative transmission pathways.

5. Emergency preparedness considerations, including coordination with Cal OES and regional grid operators.

6. A public communication plan outlining how Liberty will keep residents, business owners and operators, and city government informed throughout this transition.

Given the significance of this issue and the short timeline before the 2027 cutoff, I request that Liberty schedule this briefing no later than 30 days from the date of this letter.  I know the city government is committed to working collaboratively with Liberty, but we must ensure that our community receives accurate information and that appropriate planning and public policy measures are in place.

Please confirm receipt and suggest dates for a city council and public update.

Thank you for your review of this request and the courtesy of an anticipated reply.

Respectfully,

David Jinkens, MPA