California's top utility regulator announced Tuesday she'll step down at the end of the year, leaving Gov. Gavin Newsom searching for new leadership as the state continues to grapple with devastating wildfires and the threat of power blackouts.
Marybel Batjer announced her resignation in an email to staff at the California Public Utilities Commission. Newsom, a Democrat, appointed her to the job in 2019 as PG&E was in bankruptcy proceedings, and her term was set to run through the end of 2026.
She did not provide a reason for her early departure, saying in her message that it was a difficult decision “in the face of a changing climate and global pandemic."
The CPUC is one of the most important regulatory bodies in the state, particularly as California deals with devastating wildfires sparked by utility equipment and the increasing use of intentional power shutoffs to prevent equipment from sparking further fires. Beyond electric utilities, the commission oversees telecommunications, water, rail and transportation companies such as Uber and Lyft.
Pacific Gas & Electric, the state's largest investor-owned utility, filed for bankruptcy in 2019, and much of Batjer's tenure has focused on stepping up oversight of the troubled utility. The company pleaded guilty to 84 counts of involuntary manslaughter related to the 2018 Camp Fire that wiped out most of the town of Paradise and was sparked by its equipment. It also faces numerous criminal charges for fires caused by its fraying equipment, including four charges of manslaughter charged last week.