The board of the Orange County Power Authority (OCPA) selected an interim CEO on May 8 to replace the recently fired Brian Probolsky, whose last day is May 31.
Joe Mosca, the agency’s director of communications and external affairs, was unanimously chosen for the role during a closed session meeting. His new position is effective June 1.
“I had the privilege of sitting in on the initial interview when he was hired at his previous position … and I had great confidence in his capacity, not only to understand the sector, but to be a visionary leader,” Fred Jung, OCPA chair and mayor of Fullerton, told The Epoch Times.
The board also sent out a request for proposals to recruiting firms last week to help fill the position—through a nationwide search—permanently, according to Jung.
He said Mosca will have a chance to compete for the position.
Board member Tammy Kim, also Vice Mayor of Irvine, said Mosca’s selection was necessary to give the agency more time for recruiting.
“We wanted to fill the position with an internal staff … given that Probolsky’s last day is May 31, that would not give us enough time to complete a recruitment process,” she told The Epoch Times.
Since its inception in November 2020, the OCPA has received criticism over what some say is a lack of transparency and inexperienced management.
Kim said she’s hopeful for the green energy agency’s future, and that the agency has addressed auditors’ concerns.
“I feel really great about [the future] … The agency is profitable, and we have instituted pretty much all the points that the auditors asked,” she said.
Some recommendations include updating the agency’s website with more transparent information regarding pricing and operations, as well as improving record keeping for public record requests.
Auditors also requested the agency hire a director to oversee third-party companies it hires for power procurement.
The energy provider—which serves Huntington Beach, Buena Park, Irvine, and Fullerton—was formed as a “green” alternative to Southern California Edison, the primary energy provider in the region.
Jung said he believes in the authority despite the challenges it has faced. He is the agency’s longest-serving board member, having served as vice chair when the OCPA was formed.
“I have always been a strong proponent of the agency. I think if you believe as an individual in the human contributions to climate change and the negative impacts it’s had, then you really need to join us in trying to make a difference,” he said.
Hired last December, Mosca previously worked for San Diego Gas & Electric and Southern California Gas Company, and was a founding member and former chair of San Diego Community Power, the second largest Community Choice Aggregation in California.
He also previously served as the Mayor of Sierra Madre in Los Angeles County from 2006 to 2011, and on the city council of Encinitas in San Diego County from 2017 to 2022, according to Linkedin.
Auditors additionally accused the former CEO, Probolsky, of skirting board policies when awarding some contracts. He was let go in April after two years of heading the agency.
