By Ted Caddell

Andre T. Porter, the chairman of the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio, submitted his resignation to Gov. John Kasich on Friday morning, little more than a year after taking the position and less than a month after shepherding through controversial power purchase agreements for FirstEnergy and AEP Ohio.

“At this time, my wife and I have made the very difficult decision to pursue a new opportunity for our family back in the private sector,” he wrote to Kasich. “With mixed emotions, I must inform you that I will resign as PUCO commissioner effective as of the close of business on May 20, 2016.”

Porter did not say where he was going, but rumors have been rippling through the utility industry that he has taken a position with an RTO. At yesterday’s PJM Markets and Reliability Committee meeting, CFO Suzanne Daugherty addressed the rumors, saying Porter was not coming to PJM.

Stakeholders and PJM officials said privately they believe Porter is headed to MISO. Officials at MISO did not respond to requests for comment Friday morning.

Porter, an attorney, was not available for comment, according Holly Karg, director of public affairs for the commission. She said he has not indicated where he is going, and said he would not be issuing any further comments today.

“We very much appreciate Andre Porter’s distinguished record of public service as a member of the governor’s cabinet where he directed the Ohio Department of Commerce and — in an independent role — as commissioner and most recently chairman of the Public Utilities Commission,” said Joe Andrews, Kasich’s press secretary, in a prepared statement.

Before working at the state’s Commerce Department, Porter served as a commissioner from 2011 to 2013. His current term wasn’t scheduled to expire until April 2020.

“When I joined state government in 2011, I did so with the personal aspiration to be impactful within an allotted period of time,” Porter wrote in his letter. “At the PUCO, while working independently of the administration, I’ve led the commission in addressing some of the most challenging utility issues in recent history.”

The eight-year PPAs Porter and fellow commissioners approved for FirstEnergy and AEP Ohio last month are at risk following FERC’s decision Wednesday to rescind the companies’ affiliate sales waivers. (See FERC Rescinds AEP, FirstEnergy Affiliate-Sales Waivers; Will Review Ohio PPAs.)

Suzanne Herel contributed to this report.