This is the text of the Governor's news release issued today announcing the
appointment of a new Commissioner and reappointment of Commissioner Duque:

December 17, 1996

              WILSON APPOINTS RICHARD A. BILAS AND REAPPOINTS
             HENRY M. DUQUE TO THE PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION


       SACRAMENTO - Governor Pete Wilson today announced the appointment of
Richard A. Bilas and the reappointment of Henry M. Duque to the Public
Utilities Commission (PUC). Bilas and Duque will begin new six-year terms
with Bilas replacing Daniel Fessler, whose term expires January 1, 1997.

       **Richard A. "Dick" Bilas, Ph.D., 61, of Mendocino, most recently
has served as the John A. and Donnie Brock Chair in Energy Economics and
Policy, the director of the Institute for Energy Economics and Policy and
as professor of engineering College of Engineering and The Sarkey Energy
Center at the University of Oklahoma since 1995.

       "Dick is recognized both nationally and internationally as a scholar
of energy economics, and I am pleased he has agreed to return to California
to accept this important position," said Wilson.  "He has a thorough
knowledge of the California economy and I'm confident his unique background
will benefit the decision-making process at the PUC."
 
       Previously, Bilas served on the California State Energy, Resources,
Conservation and Development Commission from 1987 to 1995, where he was
appointed by Governor George Deukmejian (1987) and reappointed by Governor
Wilson (1992).  Bilas was a professor of economics at California State
University, Bakersfield from 1970 to 1987.
 
       A Republican, Bilas is a member of the American Economics
Association, the Southern Economics Association, the Western Economics
Association and the Mont Pelerin Society.
 
       He has authored several books and articles on economic policy and
theory some of which include:  Microeconomic Theory, McGraw-Hill (1967 &
1971); Problems in Microeconomics, McGraw-Hill, (1971); and, "Third Degree
Price Discrimination and the Multiple Plant Monopolist:  A Note on
Allocation of Output," Southern Economics Journal (1969).
 
       He also is the author of "Regulatory Reform, the Regulatory Compact,
Contracting, and All That," New Horizons in Natural Gas Deregulation,
Praeger Publishers (1996).
 
       Bilas earned a bachelor's degree in mathematics from Duke University
in 1956 and a Ph.D. in economics from the University of Virginia in 1963.
 
       **Henry M. Duque, 65, of Los Altos Hills, has served on the
Commission since 1995.  Previously, he was vice president and senior
marketing officer for the San Francisco office of Trust Services of
America, Inc., a Subsidiary of California Federal Bank.
 
       "Henry has made a significant contribution to the Commission during
his brief tenure and I'm pleased he will continue to serve in this
important capacity," said Wilson.

       Duque began with California Federal Bank in 1983.  He was senior
vice president/senior executive for its Northern California Division from
1988 to 1990 and was senior vice president/Northern California division
head from 1983 to 1988.
 
       Duque worked for Western Federal Savings & Loan Association in a
variety of capacities from 1962 to 1983 and was the Association's vice
chairman of the board from 1981 to 1983.
 
       A Republican, Duque is involved in numerous community activities,
including: member of the board of fellows for Claremont University's
Graduate School of Business Committees on Investment, and Budget and
Finance; director of the American Red Cross (Bay Area); and trustee of the
Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden in Claremont.
 
       He is the former chairman of American Red Cross, San Francisco and
Los Angeles chapters, former director of the California Neighborhood
Housing Foundation and former chairman of the board for St. Francis High
School in Mountain View.
 
       Duque earned a bachelor's degree in political science from Stanford
University in 1954.  He studied law at the University of California, Boalt
Hall School of Law (1956-57) and graduated from the University of Indiana,
Graduate School of Savings and Loan in 1967.  Duque also attended the
Building Societies International School in Oxford, England in 1971.
 
       The Public Utilities Commission consists of five members, all of
whom are appointed by the Governor.  The Commission is responsible for
regulating intrastate rates and services of privately owned gas, electric,
telephone, water, sewer system corporations and steam heat utilities.
 
       The Commission is also responsible for regulating intrastate rates
and services of railroads, buses, trucks, and vessels transporting freight
or passengers and intrastate commerce, warehousemen, wharfingers,
carloaders, and pipeline operators.  It also has the power to fix rates and
fares, supervise services, safety, control financing of utility companies,
and to grant monopoly or competitive privileges.
 
       Each commissioner receives a salary of $100,001 per year.  These
appointments are subject to Senate confirmation.