Gov. appoints head of new agency to negotiate electric rates

SPRINGFIELD -- State government is turning to someone with a history of getting a good deal to help get Illinois consumers the best electric rates available.

Gov. Rod Blagojevich says he's appointing Mark Pruitt as executive director of the new Illinois Power Agency.

The agency was created last year by state lawmakers to help consumers avoid a repeat of major electric rate increases that caused a firestorm.

Pruitt comes to the new agency from the University of Illinois at Chicago, where he helped state and local agencies buy power at up to a nearly 30 percent savings.

Pruitt's appointment requires confirmation by the state Senate.