Governor Josh Stein has appointed John W. Gajda, P.E., to the North Carolina Utilities Commission. The announcement was made on February 13, 2026.
“John Gajda brings decades of experience across every corner of North Carolina’s electric utility sector,” said Governor Josh Stein. “He understands the technical, regulatory, and operational sides of this work, and he has earned the respect of stakeholders across the industry. I’m confident John will serve on the Utilities Commission with integrity, steady judgment, and a focus on delivering reliable, affordable, and sustainable energy for the people of North Carolina.”
Gajda enters his new role with 36 years in the utility field. His background includes transmission and distribution planning as well as generator interconnections. He also has experience in regulatory issues, energy policy, and engineering design. Gajda currently works at North Carolina State University as a Professor of Practice teaching power systems engineering in the Master of Science in Electric Power Systems Engineering program. Before joining academia, he led transmission planning for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Grid Deployment Office.
Since 1992, Gajda has been active in North Carolina’s energy sector. His previous roles include working for the staff at both the North Carolina Utilities Commission and Public Staff, as well as positions with North Carolina’s electric cooperatives, Duke Energy, Strata Clean Energy, and consulting at Electrical Engineering Consulting & Testing, PC. Between 2005 and 2019 he contributed to designing many renewable energy generation interconnections across the state.
The appointment falls under one of the core responsibilities of the Office of the Governor of North Carolina: appointing executive officials to key positions within state agencies such as the Utilities Commission. According to its official website, this office serves all residents by executing state laws and leading major initiatives through appointments like this one.
Josh Stein is serving as North Carolina’s 76th governor according to information available on the official website. The governor acts as chief executive for enforcing state laws and managing state operations including directing budgets and chairing the Council of State.
