Energy Division
Within the CPUC, the Energy Division supports the Commission’s regulation of investor-owned utilities in the energy sector – including electric, natural gas, steam and petroleum pipeline companies.
The Energy Division develops and administers energy policy and programs to serve the public interest, advises the Commissioners, and ensures compliance with the Commission decisions and statutory mandates.
With approximately 300 staff of analysts, engineers, and administrative personnel, the Energy Division team provides objective and expert analyses that promote reliable, safe, and environmentally sound energy services at lowest reasonable rates for the people of California.
We support Commissioners, advisors, and Administrative Law Judges by reviewing utility filings, conducting research, and preparing resolutions for consideration by the Commission.
At the Energy Division, we:
- Oversee California’s nation-leading efforts related to clean energy which includes:
- Renewable energy
- Storage
- Energy Efficiency
- Distributed Energy Resources
- Demand Response
- Implement a number of climate initiatives including work related to:
- Research and development programs
- California Climate Credit
- Climate resiliency
- Oversee policies related to customer programs such as energization and income-qualified programs and rate structures.
- This includes rate discount programs, bill payment assistance program, weatherization, and energy retrofit programs.
- Administer programs related to ensuring grid reliability.
- This includes resource adequacy, integrated resource planning for generation and transmission planning, distribution grid planning and modernization, interconnection of new resources, as well as microgrids and resiliency.
- Represent California ratepayers in proceedings at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) for:
- Transmission ratemaking
- Transmission planning
- Wholesale market design
- Federal reliability standards.
- Review all utility proposals related to capital investments and grid operations, as well as proposals related to customer rates known as tariffs through General Rate Cases and other ratemaking proceedings
- Review gas infrastructure investments, gas safety, and natural gas ratemaking Through gas proceedings
- Support decarbonization of the building and transportation sectors.
- Support the entire Commission’s environmental permitting work as required by the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), in particular for transmission and broadband permitting.
Every part of this work contributes to California’s statewide goals in building a reliable, affordable, and carbon‑free electric grid while supporting community resilience and equitable access to clean energy.
Electric Planning & Market Design Branch
Led by Nathan Barcic, nb1@cpuc.ca.gov
- Integrated Resource Planning Section - Planning Track, Amin Younes, ayu@cpuc.ca.gov
- Integrated Resource Planning Section - Program Compliance, Christine Root, cro@cpuc.ca.gov
- Integrated Resource Planning Section - Transmission and Interconnection, Neil Raffan, nr2@cpuc.ca.gov
- Resource Adequacy and Procurement Oversight Section, Jaime Rose Gannon, jrg@cpuc.ca.gov
- Energy Resource Modeling Section, Donald Brooks, dbr@cpuc.ca.gov
Electric Costs & Retail Choice Branch
Led by Michele Kito, mk1@cpuc.ca.gov
- Electric Costs and Accountability Section, Franz Cheng, fcc@cpuc.ca.gov
- Electric General Rate Case Section, Jason Symonds,jso@cpuc.ca.gov
- Retail Choice Section, Dina Mackin, dm1@cpuc.ca.gov
- Utility Costs and Compliance Section, David Zizmor, dz1@cpuc.ca.gov
- Energy Cost Reporting & Tracking Section, Karin Sung, ksn@cpuc.ca.gov
California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Branch
CPUC California Environmental Quality Act
Electric Transmission Rates and FERC Proceedings
Led by Paula Gruendling, pg1@cpuc.ca.gov
- Infrastructure Planning & CEQA Section, Roxanne Henriquez, rhe@cpuc.ca.gov
- CEQA Broadband Section, Quint Chemnitz, qc1@cpuc.ca.gov
- CEQA Energy & Permitting Section, Michelle Wilson, mwi@cpuc.ca.gov
- FERC Cost Recovery Section, Simon Hurd, sh6@cpuc.ca.gov
Climate Initiatives, Renewables, & Administration Branch
Energy Research and Development
Advice Letters and Tariff Information
Led by Judith Ikle, jci@cpuc.ca.gov
- Renewables Procurement Section, Cheryl Lee, cnl@cpuc.ca.gov
- Climate and Equity Initiatives Section, Cheryl Cox, cxc@cpuc.ca.gov
- Budget & Tariff Section, Matthew Iribarne, mti@cpuc.ca.gov
- Personnel & Administration Section, Delia Drake, ddr@cpuc.ca.gov
- Budget & Administration Section, Medea Tsitskishvili, mtk@cpuc.ca.gov
Office of Electricity Supply, Planning, and Costs
Energy Efficiency Branch
Led by Jeorge Tagnipes,jst@cpuc.ca.gov
- Emerging Trends Section, Hal Kane, hk1@cpuc.ca.gov
- Procurement & Portfolio Management Section, Coby Rudolph, jao@cpuc.ca.gov
- Evaluation Analytics Section, Jonathan Taffel, jtf@cpuc.ca.gov
- Planning & Forecasting Section, Leanne Hoadley, lhy@cpuc.ca.gov
Building Decarbonization & Gas Policy Branch
Natural Gas and Oil Pipeline Regulation
Led by Bruce Kaneshiro, bsk@cpuc.ca.gov
- Renewable Gas & CTA Oversight Section, Jason Orta, oj1@cpuc.ca.gov
- Building Decarb & Renewable Gas Section, Nick Zanjani, nkz@cpuc.ca.gov
- Natural Gas Policy and Reliability Section, Jean Spencer, js5@cpuc.ca.gov
- Gas & Oil Pipeline Costs and Rates Section, Devla Singh, dsc@cpuc.ca.gov
Customer Generation & Demand Response Branch
Led by Dan Buch, db1@cpuc.ca.gov
- EPA for All / DER Analysis Section, Vacant
- Demand Response Section, Maryam Mozafari, mm5@cpuc.ca.gov
- Customer Generation Section, Tory Francisco, tnf@cpuc.ca.gov
Electric Rates Branch
Led by Khalil Johnson, kjo@cpuc.ca.gov
- Electric Retail Rates Section, Paul Phillips, psp@cpuc.ca.gov
- Rates Discount Section, Ankit Jain, aj7@cpuc.ca.gov
- Rates Analysis Section, Achintya Madduri, pmu@cpuc.ca.gov
Distribution Planning Branch
Led by Matthew Coldwell, mtc@cpuc.ca.gov
- Interconnection & Distribution Engineering Section, Caitlin Pollock, cp9@cpuc.ca.gov
- Grid Planning, Energy Storage & Non-Wires Alternatives Section, Gabriel Petlin, gp1@cpuc.ca.gov
- Grid Resiliency & Microgrids Section, Jason Ortego, jo4@cpuc.ca.gov
- Transportation Electrification Section, Em Traux, em.traux@cpuc.ca.gov
Office of Distributed Energy Resources, Natural Gas, and Retail Energy Rates
Please note that the following information is currently being updated:
Links to work groups (incomplete)
Learn more about
Natural gas and oil pipeline regulation
Energy Division's Functional Organizational Chart
Personnel Organizational Chart
Major accomplishments and on-going initiatives - CPUC Annual Reports
The Office of Governmental Affairs and see copies of reports sent to the legislature
How the Consumer Affairs branch provide support for utility billing and service-related matters
Meet the Leadership
Deputy Executive Director, Le-Quyen Nguyen
Office of Distributed Energy Resources, Natural Gas & Retail Energy Rates Director, Kerry Fleisher
Office of Electricity Supply, Planning & Cost, Molly Sterkel
FAQs
- For questions related to international partnerships or delegations, contact our International Liaison: Allison Hoops, allison.hoops@cpuc.ca.gov
- For media inquiries, contact our External Affairs Division
- For information about how to participate in our proceedings, contact the Public Advisor's office
- For information about how to file an informal complaint, contact the Consumer Affairs Branch
- Look up a staff member in our staff directory