CMUA: Can you tell us a little bit about the progression of your career, and was being a utility's general manager always one of your goals?
Koehn: My career began as a civil engineer, where I spent 10 years in private practice, gaining hands-on experience in project design and management. I then transitioned to Turlock Irrigation District (TID), where I’ve spent the last 14 years of my career. My journey at TID has been incredibly rewarding, as I’ve had the opportunity to work in various roles, in both water and power. These experiences helped me develop a deep, well-rounded understanding of the entire utility.

In 2020, I took on the newly created role of Chief Operating Officer (COO), which proved to be essential in preparing me for the transition to General Manager in June 2024. My time as COO provided valuable insights into the strategic and operational aspects of the utility, enabling me to guide the organization through the complexities of growth and change.

Becoming General Manager wasn’t a specific goal of mine early on. Instead, my focus has always been on making a meaningful difference in the public utility sector, particularly in a community that serves my friends, family, and neighbors.

CMUA: What is unique or interesting, in your opinion, about TID’s service territory?
Koehn: TID's service territory stands out in several ways. First and foremost, we are the first irrigation district in California. Not only that, but we're also one of only four irrigation districts in the state that provides retail electric service.

Another interesting aspect is that TID offers one of the lowest electric rates in California, which is a huge benefit for our customers, especially considering that 11 of the 14 communities TID serves are considered disadvantaged. That gives us a real sense of responsibility to provide reliable and affordable services to those who need it most.

Additionally, we have a unique partnership with Modesto Irrigation District — with whom we own and operate the Don Pedro Project, a 2 million-acre-foot reservoir, dam, and powerhouse that is not part of the federal or state water projects. This gives us more flexibility and control over water resources, ensuring that we can better serve our local area.

Our power supply portfolio is also very diverse, including renewable energy sources like wind, solar, geothermal, and both large and small hydro. This diversity helps us maintain a balanced, sustainable energy mix to reliably serve our customers. On top of all that, we are our own balancing authority, which means we have the requirement of matching electrical supply to demand on a minute-to-minute basis, ensuring grid reliability and operational efficiency.

CMUA: What are TID’s biggest ongoing projects?
Koehn: Our biggest ongoing projects currently are:

1. Relicensing of the Don Pedro Project:

   • TID has been pursuing a new license for the Don Pedro Project since 2009. We are hopeful that we are nearing the final stages, with just two remaining steps: consultation with the National Marine Fisheries and obtaining a water quality control certification from the California State Water Board.

2. Rehabilitation of the Don Pedro Project:

   • While pursuing our new license to operate Don Pedro, TID is also focused on fully rehabilitating the Don Pedro Project to extend its life for the next 50 years. This includes efficiency upgrades to turbines and generators, which will add another 60 megawatts of clean, carbon-free energy.

3. Energy Roadmap:

   • TID is kicking off its long-term Energy Roadmap, a comprehensive plan as to how TID will meet California’s aggressive carbon reduction goals, including reaching carbon-free energy by 2045. This plan explores a variety of solutions, such as pumped storage, small modular nuclear, and carbon capture, along with an analysis of the costs of each potential solution and the specific impact on rates.

4. Water Master Plan:

   • On the water infrastructure side, TID is in the implementation phase of its Water Master Plan. This plan is centered around creating a fully automated water delivery system that prevents unintentional spills and accurately matches irrigation water supply and demand in near real-time, allowing us to save water, improve water quality, and increase the level of service to our growers.

Both the Energy Roadmap and the Water Master Plan are critical to TID’s long-term strategy, guiding current decisions that align with our future goals.

CMUA: What’s something you do outside of work that you enjoy?
Koehn: One of my favorite hobbies is making custom-engraved wooden pens, which I give out as presents. It's a fun and personal way to connect a little bit of who I am with people close to me. I also enjoy tending to our family fruit orchard, which is grown using TID irrigation water.

CMUA: What value and benefit do you get from serving on CMUA’s board?
Koehn: Having just become GM in June 2024, I’m excited to be one of the rookies on the Board of Governors at CMUA. Being part of the board has already proven to be extremely valuable in having the opportunity to collaborate with and hear from other GMs who are facing similar challenges. Sharing experiences and solutions is a great way to tackle the common issues we all face.

As public utilities, we’re all striving to reach the same finish line: providing reliable and affordable services to our customers. Being part of the board gives me the opportunity to share our strategies and learn from others and allows me to bring new ideas back to TID to improve our own operations and better serve our community.