Following a nationwide search, the Commission of the Northern California Power Agency on June 11 confirmed Tony Zimmer as the agency’s new General Manager. 

Zimmer will succeed outgoing General Manager Randy Howard upon his retirement, and will assume the position effective June 15, 2026. 

Zimmer has served at NCPA since 2000, and currently holds the position of Assistant General Manager of Power Management. 

Over the course of his tenure with the agency, he has played a central role in overseeing NCPA’s power operations, managing power supply contracts on behalf of member agencies, and navigating California’s increasingly complex energy markets. 

In addition to managing NCPA’s power operations, Zimmer has overseen scheduling coordination and dispatch functions, power pool operations, portfolio management activities, interconnection affairs, and regulatory matters with a focus on California Independent System Operator (CAISO) markets. 

He also manages power supply services provided by NCPA to several community choice aggregators and irrigation districts throughout California, including the City of San José, Sonoma Clean Power Authority, and Ava Community Energy. 

“Tony brings deep operational expertise, decades of institutional knowledge, and a strong understanding of California’s evolving energy landscape,” said NCPA Commission Chair James “Bo” Sheppard. “He has earned a high level of trust and respect from our members and staff over his many years of service, and the Executive Committee is confident he brings the vision and skills needed to guide NCPA into its next chapter.”

Zimmer said he is honored to step into the role and continue supporting NCPA’s public power mission. “NCPA has always been defined by its commitment to collaboration, reliability, and exceptional service to our member communities,” Zimmer said. “I’m grateful for the opportunity to lead this organization and build on the strong foundation established by Randy Howard and our dedicated and talented NCPA team.” 

Howard, who is retiring after serving as General Manager for 11 years, led NCPA through a period of significant transition and growth for California’s public power sector, including evolving market structures, reliability challenges, and increasing clean energy requirements.

Prior to becoming Assistant General Manager of Power Management, Zimmer built a strong professional foundation in several progressively senior leadership positions at NCPA, including Supervisor of Contracts, Industry Restructuring and Interconnection Affairs, Energy Resources Analyst, and Settlement Analyst, NCPA noted.

He has testified as an expert witness before the California State Legislature, and supported the agency’s advocacy efforts in Congress and before state and federal administrative agencies. 

Zimmer holds a Master of Business Administration and a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from California State University, Sacramento.