MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A member of Wisconsin’s public utility regulatory board has resigned to take a job with the U.S Department of Energy.
Lauren Azar said in a statement that she’s leaving the Public Service Commission after four years to serve as a senior adviser to U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu. She will work on improvements to the nation’s electrical infrastructure.
Commission Chairman Phil Montgomery thanked Azar for her service to “protect the ratepayers” of Wisconsin.
Azar’s departure gives Gov. Scott Walker a second appointee to the three-person commission. Walker appointed Montgomery chairman of the commission in March. Each commissioner serves a six-year term.
The Public Service Commission is responsible for regulation of state public utilities. A bill passed by the Legislature earlier this month weakened the commission’s regulatory power.
More from the PSC
- Regulators give utilities OK to purchase 200MW solar farm in Kenosha County
- Regulators approve utilities’ plans to buy 92-megawatt wind farm
- Regulators dismiss town’s attempt to block $650M solar farm in Dane County
- Court pauses order calling on former regulator to turn over cell phone in Cardinal-Hickory suit
- Regulators stall on request to revisit Cardinal-Hickory approval in light of secret messages
- Regulators approve 325MW Darien solar farm in southern Wisconsin
- PSC signs off on utility’s purchase of $104.5M solar array in Western Wisconsin
- Judge will revoke PSC approval of $500M Cardinal-Hickory line if critics prove bias
- Regulators approve nearly $200M Onion River Solar project in Sheboygan County
- Regulators approve $250M Grant County solar farm