Spreading appointees throughout the state’s existing energy structure, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger Tuesday named a five-member “energy team,” providing regulatory, high-tech, energy efficiency, political and consulting experience.

They include a new commissioner at the five-member California Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission (energy commission), and key appointments at the two other key energy agencies in the state, Resources and the California Public Utilities Commission.

In acknowledging that California faces an “ongoing threat of future energy shortages,” Schwarzenegger called his new team “balanced and experienced” and said he will depend on them to implement his energy goals, which are still not fully defined “I am confident that with their assistance we will be able to create an efficient market structure that will attract new energy investment and lead to reduced rates and ample supply.”

Jackalyne Pfannenstiel, a former staff member at the CPUC and the Connecticut state regulatory commission, as well as the an economist with the Stanford University Energy Modeling Forum, has been named to the state energy commission as its fifth member. Pfannenstiel is the only one of the five appointments that requires state Senate confirmation.

Joseph Desmond, president/CEO Infotility, Inc., an energy consulting and software development firm, and a top executive of other start-ups in the electronics industry, was named deputy secretary for energy in the Resources Agency, which includes the state Department of Water Resources (DWR), the agency holding the long-term wholesale power contracts now administered by the state’s three major private sector utilities.

Shannon Eddy, a senior policy consultant with the Sacramento-based Center for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Technologies, was named energy efficiency and renewables advisor at the CPUC.

Robert Lane, a principal in Lane Regulatory Advisors, a consulting firm providing technical, economic and policy advice on public utilities regulation, was named the CPUC policy/planning advisor.

Todd Slosek, chief of staff and political director to a state legislator, a former special assistant to the chief clerk in the Texas General Land Office and public relations/political professional for private sector, elected officials and governmental departments in Texas, was named CPUC communications director.

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