PUC official gets nod from panel

Timothy A. Simon’s confirmation to the California Public Utilities Commission won the backing of an influential state Senate panel Wednesday, virtually assuring that the full Senate will endorse him as early as next week.

All five members of the bipartisan committee endorsed Simon after supporters lauded his efforts to make utility companies more responsive to low-income people and minorities. Simon, the commission’s only black member, said in testimony that he has sought “a balanced approach” between the interests of utilities and consumers.

Under questioning by senators, Simon, 52, said he took full responsibility for creating what he called a perception of impropriety by soliciting donations from the utilities he regulates to fund a conference on green energy.

The biggest donors to the conference had a major case before the commission at the time, and the commission unanimously sided with them.

Simon’s actions were deemed “awful but lawful” by the Legislature’s legal experts, Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata (D-Oakland) told Simon.

There was no formal opposition to Simon, who began serving his six-year term last February when Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger nominated him.

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-- Jordan Rau