Meet Jason McMillan

Division: Safety and Enforcement Division/ Gas Safety and Reliability Branch

CPUC Tenure: 11 years

Headquarters: Sacramento, CA

CPUC role: I supervise a team of utility engineers who perform safety and compliance inspections of Natural Gas and Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) operators throughout California.

I am also the process owner of the Master-Meter Gas and Small LPG Inspection program and administer the CPUC’s Mobile Home Park Utility Conversion program that replaces mobile home park-owned and operated utility systems with direct public utility natural gas and electric service, helping to provide safe, reliable, and clean energy for park residents.

What drew you to work at the CPUC?
I have always believed that the greatest calling we can feel is the service to others. I felt that working for California, specifically within a safety assurance position, was a way to use my time and talents to serve people and to ensure the safety of my family, friends, and neighbors.

What’s one project you’ve worked on that you’re especially proud of and why? 
The Small Operator Inspection program has really been rewarding. Before the revised workplan was established, we consistently had a backlog of past-due inspections – about 30 percent of the systems had not been inspected on time.

Since we established new workplans and requirements for our engineers, we have increased our annual inspections and decreased our backlog. Since 2022, the number of systems past due inspections has decreased to less than two percent.

How do you see yourself contributing to the CPUC’s mission? 
Our work within the Safety and Enforcement Division really focuses on making sure that Californians have safe utility service. Our inspection findings and enforcement actions help confirm that natural gas operators are using ratepayer funds as designed; that they operate their systems in a way that mitigates risks; and that they keep their employees and the public safe.

What activities do you enjoy doing in your free time? 
I love spending as much time as possible outside. I’m an avid hiker, cyclist, and kayaker and love finding new routes and trails around Sacramento.

What’s something people might be surprised to learn about you? 
Before I worked for the CPUC, I was a maintenance technician who worked for banks. My work included picking locks and cracking into safes.

Do you have a favorite book, podcast, or show you recommend?
If you like horror movies like I do, I would recommend the podcast, “Random Number Generator Horror Podcast Number 9.” They discuss horror movies in a very thoughtful way, while still being very fun.