FERC Nominees Questioned on Presidential Review of Regulations and Grid Modernization

FERC Nominees and Presidential Oversight

• 💡 Senator Cortez Masto questioned FERC nominees David LaCerte and Laura Swett regarding the necessity of Presidential review for FERC regulations.
• ❓ Both nominees stated they were unaware of any law requiring the President to review FERC regulations before they are promulgated.
• 🏛️ Senator Cortez Masto expressed concern that an executive order might impose oversight not mandated by law, potentially leading to court challenges.

Grid Modernization and Technology

• ⚡ The nominees acknowledged the growing electricity demand from industries like manufacturing and data centers.
• ✅ Both LaCerte and Swett expressed support for maximizing grid technology and utilizing grid-enhancing technologies to improve capacity and reliability.
• 📈 They emphasized the need for continuous innovation and analysis of new technologies to deliver electricity more effectively.

Interconnection Queues and Backlogs

• 📌 The discussion addressed the significant backlog in generation interconnection queues, which delays the connection of new energy resources.
• 📊 A report indicated nearly 2300 gigawatts of generation and storage capacity were held up in these queues.
• 🤝 Nominees indicated a willingness to collaborate with RTOs, ISOs, and states to find solutions for these backlogs and streamline processes.
• ⏳ They recognized the long wait times as an issue that hinders investment and impacts the work of FERC staff.