New FERC Chair Expected to Eye Both Natural Gas and Renewables

David Rosner, new chair of the Federal Vitality Regulatory Fee, takes the helm at a unstable time as power prices and demand are rising, energy grid reliability and capability are challenged and main Trump administration reversals in power coverage are underway.

President Donald Trump elevated Rosner—a Democratic commissioner who joined the company in June 2024—to the highest publish on Aug. 12,

The American Clear Energy Affiliation mentioned Rosner’s “balanced, pragmatic strategy to coverage and concern for the pursuits of all stakeholders can be vital because the nation addresses rising electrical energy demand, prices and want for expanded transmission and grid reliability,” mentioned CEO Jason Grumet in a press release.  He mentioned Rosner is dedicated to evidence-based choice making and is expert at forging consensus.

Not all share that view, with the nomination criticized by some environmental teams together with Associates of the Earth. “Rosner has promoted the gasoline and fossil gasoline trade for years and is way too biased to carry this place” the advocacy group mentioned in an Aug. 14 post on X. “Democrats who care concerning the local weather should reject this trade hack.”

‘Non-partisan’ Democrat

Rosner has almost twenty years of expertise throughout power applied sciences, together with his work as a FERC power trade analyst and as senior coverage advisor for the U.S. Dept. of Vitality’s Workplace of Vitality Coverage and Techniques Evaluation. He additionally served two years on element to the Senate Vitality and Pure Assets Committee employees underneath then-Committee Chair Joe Manchin (D).

Rosner, together with present FERC commissioners Judy W. Chang (D) and Lindsay S. fill three of company’s 5 voting seats. Trump has nominated Republicans David LaCerte, senior advisor on the Workplace of Personnel Administration, and Laura Swett, an power lawyer and former FERC advisor, to fill the remaining seats. In accordance with media experiences citing unnamed sources, Rosner might probably get replaced at FERC if LeCerte and Swett are confirmed.

Rosner changed former chair Mark Christie (R), who resigned on Aug. 8 when he was not reappointed after his time period expired.

Jon Wellinghoff, CEO and founding father of GridPolicy Consulting and former FERC chair within the Obama Administration, instructed ENR that he is aware of Rosner and believes he’ll take a non-partisan strategy to management, supporting quite a lot of power initiatives together with renewables and transmission applied sciences.

Wellinghoff mentioned that one space of curiosity for Rosner will seemingly be grid-enhancing applied sciences—new, superior applied sciences reminiscent of digital switches and AI software program that may be built-in into the transmission grid to speed up its improvement and enhance operation and effectivity. Previous to changing into chair, Rosner expressed curiosity in these applied sciences, Wellinghoff mentioned.

However, as soon as FERC is totally staffed, it’s tough to say whether or not such applied sciences will achieve the bulk help wanted for motion, he mentioned.

“It has been onerous up to now to maneuver these issues ahead, primarily as a result of utilities will not be appropriately financially rewarded to place [them] in place,” he mentioned, including that [utilities] will not be paid to be extra environment friendly. Wellinghoff mentioned he hopes Rosner will handle monetary incentives for utilities to spice up efficiencies.

Whereas it stays to be seen how information facilities can be built-in into the grid, FERC can be on the forefront of that effort and Rosner will seemingly be open to listening to strategies, Wellinghoff mentioned.

“If I needed to summarize him in a sentence, [Rosner] is a centrist Democrat who is a good decide for improvement of pure gasoline infrastructure,” mentioned Zack Perconti, vp of presidency affairs for the Nationwide Utility Contractors Affiliation. The White Home has spotlighted his work to speed up improvement of energy for information facilities to drive AI, which is one other plus, he mentioned, including that he believes the chair may even help the renewables sector. 

“For us, we’re hoping {that a} totally invigorated FERC will be capable to pace up the timelines on initiatives and pace up the tempo of approval of all types of power,” Perconti added.

The utility contractors group, which touts an “all the above” power coverage, is anxious about some Trump administration actions on renewables—and offshore wind, specifically, Perconti mentioned.

“We’ve bought quite a lot of members that do onshore work for the off-shore amenities, so we’re undoubtedly involved by the current patterns happening round these,” Perconti mentioned. The group plans to observe whether or not Rosner takes an all-of-the-above strategy to power coverage as soon as the 2 remaining Republican nominees are confirmed.

Latest Actions

In an August 27 letter to OPM Director Scott Kupor, Rosner summarized FERC’s current main actions. These embody various actions underneath the Pure Fuel Act, reminiscent of supporting infrastructure improvement and issuing notices to proceed with development and repair for pure gasoline infrastructure. Additionally famous was company protection of its orders in federal court docket regarding certificates to authorize pure gasoline pipeline development and operation, and FERC-issued environmental evaluation for proposed pure gasoline infrastructure and for proposed hydropower initiatives underneath the Federal Energy Act, in addition to participation within the Virginia Nationwide Guard’s Cyber Fortress annual tactical-level Defensive Cyber Operations Train.