FERC 2018…Finally, A Full Commission

By Former Congressman Lee Terry

        The New Year arrived with a Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) finally confirmed a full complement of commissioners for the first time in several years. This is important, as the agenda for the commission is packed and many key issues, such as grid resiliency and pipeline siting, need to be addressed and will require the unique expertise of each commissioner.

        Two recent additions to FERC, Commissioner Neil Chatterjee and Commissioner Richard Glick, bring unique perspectives to a body not well known prior to the California electricity crisis that began in 2000.  Their years of experience, coupled with their diverse professional and political backgrounds, will add to the upcoming debates on energy regulatory matters exemplified by the 5 to 0 decision on United States Secretary of Energy Rick Perry’s Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on electric grid resiliency.  

        Commissioner Glick worked for Senator Dale Bumpers (D-AR) as his Legislative Director, then moved to the Department of Energy with Secretary Bill Richardson, and in the private sector, and then to the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee and now at the FERC. He has a knack for getting right to the issue and to offer solutions to complicated energy problems.  The resolution to the California energy crisis is a perfect example of what Commissioner Glick can do. His leadership in working with elected officials, local politicians, and regulators was invaluable during this period in our nation’s history.

        Commissioner Chatterjee worked for former Republican Conference Chairwoman Deborah Pryce (R-OH). We worked extensively on the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPACT 2005), a historic energy bill that produced policies relating to motor fuels, transmission rights, electricity generation, and oil exploration. After a stint at the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) he returned to the United States Senate, where he again helped to advance energy policy. His deep experience and intelligence will be invaluable as he serves his term at the FERC.

        Mark Anderson of Kelly Drye has known Commissioners Chatterjee and Glick throughout most of their careers and recently commented: “FERC Chairman Kevin McIntyre is fortunate on two fronts. He now has a full complement of commissioners allowing him to clear the decks on items that need to be addressed and that have been on hold for quite some time. As we saw with the recent decision on Secretary Perry’s NOPR, the commission is on the brink of doing some very historic things in the coming months. This decision demonstrates the commissions independence.”