Edison Utility Chief to Retire

Stephen E. Frank, who led Edison International’s Southern California Edison as the utility tottered near bankruptcy during this year’s energy crisis, will retire Jan. 1, the company said.

Alan J. Fohrer, 51, chairman of Edison’s generation unit, will replace Frank, 60, as chairman and chief executive of SCE. Robert G. Foster, 54, a vice president of public affairs for SCE and Edison International, will take Frank’s post as president of the utility.

Frank said he had told John Bryson, Edison’s chairman and chief executive, that he wanted to retire about a year and a half ago. Bryson asked him to delay his retirement, he said.

“It was pretty much at the time that the electricity crisis hit and it became clear we were going to have a lot of difficult times ahead, so I agreed with him to stay and lead the utility through some of these difficult issues,” Frank said.

He added that his departure is “totally voluntary.”

“I’m looking forward to having more discretionary time than I’ve had here.”

Shares of Edison, which is based in Rosemead, rose 23 cents to close at $15.70 on the New York Stock Exchange.