Vernon, CA
Home MenuAbout Us
Vernon Public Utilities, which is owned and operated by the City of Vernon, consists of a dedicated team committed to providing essential services that contribute to the overall well-being and functionality of our vibrant community. With a strong focus on safety, reliability, sustainability, and innovation, we take pride in delivering top-quality water, electricity, and sanitation solutions to our residents, businesses, and visitors. As stewards of these critical resources, we strive to ensure efficiency, accessibility, and environmental responsibility in all our endeavors. Although the city’s total area is 5.2 square miles, the electrical demand of the 1,800+ businesses in Vernon is similar to the electrical consumption of a city serving 100,000 residents.
VPU is the only public utility in the state with a high-pressure natural gas transmission pipeline and is one of the largest public gas systems by volume in the United States. The utility is also a multiple award-winning entity, VPU's gas system specifically has received the Safety Management Excellence Award from the American Public Gas Association.
In April 2024, VPU's electric system received an upgraded rating to A- (from BBB+) with a “Stable Outlook” from Standard and Poor’s (S&P), a nationally recognized financial rating agency. To view the utility press release, please click here.
Leadership
The City of Vernon is one of several cities in California with a publicly-owned utility. As a not-for-profit utility, Vernon Public Utilities is also one of two cities in the state that provides electric, water, natural gas, and dark fiber. The multi-award-winning utility is managed by an executive team that has a wide range of knowledge and experience in these service areas. Management of the Public Utilities Department is headed by the General Manager of VPU and includes a team of dedicated and talented individuals.
Todd Dusenberry
Mr. Dusenberry has over seventeen years of public utilities experience with the City of Vernon, beginning in March 2007 as a Systems Coordinator. Mr. Dusenberry previously held the positions of Systems Supervisor, Utilities Operations Manager, Utilities Compliance Officer, Utilities Compliance Manager, Assistant General Manager, and Acting General Manager. 
Margie Otto
With more than twenty five years of municipal government and public utilities experience, Ms. Otto currently oversees the following divisions: Power Engineering and Operations, Water Engineering and Operations, Integrated Resources, Customer Service and Customer Relations. Prior to joining VPU, Ms. Otto worked at Anaheim Public Utilities for 12 years and Pasadena Water and Power for approximately 7 years, where she was responsible for managing media/public relations and marketing while serving as the Public Information Officer for each respective utility.