US President Donald Trump has nominated Neil Chatterjee, currently energy policy advisor to US Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), and Robert F. Powelson, who chairs Pennsylvania’s Public Utility Commission, as Federal Energy Regulatory Commission members on May 8.
Their confirmations by the US Senate would restore FERC’s quorum, which was lost when former Chairman Norman Bay resigned on Jan. 26, reducing the number of commissioners to two and making it unable to issue major final decisions. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Chair Lisa Murkowski (R-Alas.) said last week she would make the nominations a priority once they were announced.
Natural gas trade association leaders welcomed the news, and urged the Senate to act expeditiously. “We estimate that about $15 billion of shovel-ready, natural gas pipeline projects are stranded on the sidelines because FERC’s lack of quorum prevents the commission from acting on major energy projects,” Interstate Natural Gas Association of America Pres. Donald F. Santa said.
Separately, American Gas Association Pres. David K. McCurdy noted, “Having a quorum will allow FERC to continue its important work for the natural gas industry—including timely decisions on pending and future interstate gas infrastructure project certificates.”
Christopher Guith, a senior vice-president at the US Chamber of Commerce’s Institute for 21st Century Energy, said the two nominations were phenomenal, given the complexity and importance of the issues before the commission.
“From strained competitive markets to crucial energy infrastructure, these nominations are a great step forward to securing America's energy future,” Guith said.
Before joining McConnell’s staff, Chatterjee was a principal in government relations at the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association and an aide to House Republican Conference Chair Deborah Pryce of Ohio. He began his Washington career as a House Ways and Means Committee staff member.
Powelson, who has been a Pennsylvania PUC member since 2008, is president of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners and a member of the Electric Power Research Institute’s board.
Contact Nick Snow at [email protected].