The Colorado Senate’s agriculture, natural resources and energy committee members voted on Thursday to advance Public Utility Commissioner nominees Wendy Moser and Jeff Ackermann to the Senate floor for confirmation.

Gov. John Hickenlooper’s nominees were expected to advance, and they did easily. Ackermann’s nomination passed on an 8-3 committee vote. Moser’s nomination drew only one no vote.

Sen. Leroy Garcia, a Pueblo Democrat, voted against both nominations – and he at very least was expected to vote against Moser.

Ackermann and Moser have taken up the positions on the commission vacated by Josh Epel and Glenn Vaad. The commission make up must be bipartisan. Ackermann is a Democrat and Moser a Republican.

PUC members are meant to watchdog utilities and champion consumer rights. Members, however, often come from industry, touting insider expertise.

Garcia’s Pueblo has been subject to steep electricity rates for years levied by Black Hills Energy, and Moser worked for Black Hills in its regulatory law and government division. She was senior manager at Charter Communications, what the Wall Street Journal called  a telecommunications “behemoth” after it bought Time Warner Cable in May for roughly $60 billion.

The Colorado Springs Gazette called the nominations a “disappointment.” Senators have called the two nominees “clearly well qualified” and “very thoughtful.”

Before he was nominated, Ackermann served as executive director of the Colorado Energy Office and chief researcher at the PUC.

Floor confirmation debate is likely to land on the Senate schedule in the coming days.

– john@coloradostatesman.com