Governor appoints new president and new commissioner for embattled PUC

By George Avalos

Originally appearing in San Jose Mercury News The embattled state Public Utilities Commission is getting new blood in its top echelons, with the designation on Tuesday of current Commissioner Michael Picker to be president of the PUC and the appointment of Liane Randolph to be a new commissioner with the state regulatory agency, which is struggling to escape a slew of scandals in the wake of the San Bruno disaster.

"Michael Picker's deep experience and sound judgment make him uniquely qualified to take on this role," Gov. Jerry Brown said in a prepared release. "Liane Randolph has handled very difficult issues with insight and balance and will be a real asset to the commission. Most importantly, both appointees share a commitment to seeing California achieve its ambitious renewable energy goals." <img title="This Dec. 18, 2014 photo shows California Public Utilities Commissioner Michael Picker during a meeting of the five-member commission in San Francisco. " src="http://extras.mnginteractive.com/live/media/site568/2014/1223/20141223__1224puc~1_200.JPG" alt="This Dec. 18, 2014 photo shows California Public Utilities Commissioner Michael Picker during a meeting of the five-member commission in San Francisco. " width="200" height="295" border="0" /> This Dec. 18, 2014 photo shows California Public Utilities Commissioner Michael Picker during a meeting of the five-member commission in San Francisco. (Jeff Chiu/AP photo) Before serving on the commission, Picker, 62, was senior adviser for renewable energy in the governor's office from 2009 to 2014. Picker will replace PUC President Michael Peevey.

Peevey recently announced he would depart the state agency after becoming a lightning rod for criticism and claims that he had created a culture of cozy accommodation of PG&E in the wake of a fatal explosion of natural gas in San Bruno. Federal investigators believe the blast was triggered by PG&E's shoddy maintenance of the gas lines and flawed record keeping, along with lax oversight from the PUC.

"We will see some good things from President Picker," said state Sen. Jerry Hill, whose San Mateo County district includes San Bruno. "He encourages open dialogue, and he has emphasized public safety as a culture."

Randolph, 49, has been deputy secretary and general counsel with the state Natural Resources Agency, a private attorney and head of the California Fair Political Practices Commission. She also was San Leandro's city attorney.

New PUC commissioner Liane Randolph, seen in an undated file photo.

"Liane Randolph sounds like an excellent choice at first blush," Hill said. "She looks like she would be an excellent independent commissioner. She has no ties to the utilities industry."

The designation of Picker and the appointment of Randolph are effective Jan. 1, the governor's office said.

"I'm honored by the Governor's trust and confidence, and take his charge to heart -- reduce greenhouse gas emissions, strengthen safety programs and modernize the agency," Picker said in a prepared release.

Officials with the Sierra Club applauded the appointment and looked forward to a contrast with Peevey's leadership.

Peevey has come under fire because a slew of emails released by PG&E sketched a picture that suggested Peevey was at the center of backroom deals and arm twisting and had created a culture of cozy relations and accommodation with the utility, rather than fair and independent regulatory actions.

In the most recent emails, Peevey referred to officials in San Bruno -- site of a lethal natural gas explosion in 2010 that killed eight and wrecked a quiet residential neighborhood -- as "nuts" and "emotional."

"With this week's batch of even more emails between PG&E and top regulators, it is all the more clear that the PUC is in need of new leaders that will serve in the best interest of the public rather than bending to the will of the fossil fuel interests and utilities," said Evan Gillespie, a Sierra Club director.

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Governor appoints new president and new commissioner for embattled PUC

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