LOS ANGELES — Southern California Edison snapped up Ron Nichols, who resigned in January from a position as general manager of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power.
He starts work next week as a regulatory affairs executive at the investor-owned utility that serves 14 million people in California, according to a news release.
Nichols resigned from the head of DWP amid scrutiny of the department over spending by two non-profits run jointly by the department and its largest union.
While his work in implementing federal and state environmental mandates was lauded, it was overshadowed by reports that the department's workers earned exponentially more than other city workers in the same positions.
The battle Mayor Eric Garcetti and City Controller Ron Galperin have waged against LADWP union leader Brian D'Arcy over financial documents related to the two union-affiliated nonprofits that have received $40 million in funds over the past decade also cast a pall over his final months.
D'Arcy also threatened to take legal action against Nichols for the financial documents he released to the controller related to the nonprofits.
A judge recently ruled that D'Arcy has to turn over documents to the controller.
Marcie Edwards was named Nichols' replacement as head of LADWP in February.
