Former Philly exec Zibelman has big role in New York's review of Comcast/Time Warner Cable deal

Tom Paine

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Audrey Zibelman / NY PSC

Audrey Zibelman, an attorney by training, served as founder, CEO and President of Philadelphia-based virtual power grid pioneer Viridity Energy until last year. Prior to that, she was Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of PJM, the regional power transmission organization based in Valley Forge.

Now she is chair of the New York State Public Service Commission. In that role, she will oversee the state's review of the proposed Comcast/Time Warner Cable merger.

New York's review of the merger is important because while the state has only 23,000
Comcast subscribers, it has about 2.6 million Time Warner Cable subscribers. Under a change in state regulatory law last month, Comcast will have the burden of proving to the state that the purchase is in the public's interest. Governor Cuomo promises the commission (pdf) will conduct a "thorough and detailed investigation." New York expects to complete its review within four months.