California Public Utilities commissioner Ferron resigns

Mark Ferron, commissioner of the California Public Utilities Commission, resigned yesterday (January 15). In 2012, he was diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer.

Pete Hasapopoulos, organizer for the San Diego Chapter of the Sierra Club, points out that in his departing statement, Ferron said that California utilities are more enlightened than those in "coal-loving" states, "although I suspect that they would still dearly like to strangle rooftop solar if they could." Ferron questioned whether some utilities have the ability or will to manage the complex organizations they oversee.

"I am very worried about our utilities' commitment to their side of the regulatory compact," said Ferron in his statement. "We at the commission need to watch our utilities' management and their legal and compliance advisors very, very carefully; it is clear to me that the legalistic, confrontational approach to regulation is alive and well. Their strategy is often: 'We will give the commission only what they explicitly order us to give them.'"