Commercial, Energy Efficiency, Industrial, Utilities, Sourcing Renewables  -  July 7, 2017 - By Amy Poszywak

Management shakeup underway at Edison Energy

^{A Smart Energy Decisions exclusive} 

A number of leadership changes have been made at Edison Energy LLC, the unregulated energy advisory arm of utility holding company Edison International, including the departure of President Allan Schurr.

The management shakeup is part of an ongoing strategic review announced earlier this year of the competitive businesses of Edison Energy Group, the holding company of Edison Energy and SoCore Energy LLC, a spokeswoman for Edison International said July 7. Ron Litzinger, president of Edison Energy Group has been named interim president of Edison Energy.

Edison International launched Edison Energy in late March 2016 as an energy consulting arm for large commercial and industrial companies comprised of a group of energy efficiency, distributed generation and renewable energy startups it acquired as a jumpstart.

The creation of the new unit marked the first leap by a large investor-owned utility into the advisory and energy management services area, but followed a similar move from General Electric, which had launched its energy management "startup" about six months earlier in October 2015. Current, for its part, began a corporate restructuring process in late 2016.

"Edison International remains committed to Edison Energy; we have heard from our commercial and industrial customers that they value the independent insight we bring regarding their energy needs," spokeswoman Gloria Quinn said in an e-mailed statement. "We will continue to seek out good strategic business opportunities that complement the regulated business at [Southern California Edison]."

The utility holding company said in a regulatory filing in May that it was performing a strategic review of the Edison Energy Group's businesses, and that the outcome of the review "may affect Edison International's ability to fully recover its investments in these businesses." As of March 31, those investments had totaled $195 million for SoCore Energy and $103 million for Edison Energy, which comprises Altenex, ENERActive Solutions and Delta Energy Services.

Chief Regulatory Affairs Officer Ward Camp and Chief Marketing Officer Tom Comstock are also leaving the company.

Steven Eisenberg, previously senior vice president, commercial operations, is taking on the new position of chief operating officer, Edison International said July 7. Paula Campbell, previously vice president of business operations, will become vice president, marketing and sales support; while General Counsel Lloyd MacNeil will be taking on additional responsibility for government and regulatory affairs.

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