News

New Green-Credentialed Chief at FERC’s Helm

Amid his string of new nominations, President Barack Obama last week named Jon Wellinghoff acting chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). Wellinghoff—a Democrat—has been one of FERC’s five commissioners for the past three years.

“I thank President Obama for the opportunity to lead FERC at a time when our nation faces the challenge of providing consumers with access to clean, renewable energy and ensuring that our nation can deliver that energy in the most efficient, smart and technologically sophisticated manner possible,” Wellinghoff said in a statement. “I look forward to working with my FERC colleagues, FERC staff, the public, and the energy industry to turn these energy challenges into a reality.”

According to his bio, Wellinghoff has been active in opening wholesale electric markets to renewable resources; providing a platform for the participation of demand response and other distributed resources, including energy efficiency and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, in wholesale electric markets; and promoting greater efficiency in the nation’s energy infrastructure through the institution of advanced technologies and system integration. He was also instrumental in creating FERC’s Energy Innovations Sector (EIS), which is responsible for investigating and promoting new efficient technologies and practices in the energy sectors under FERC’s jurisdiction.

Wellinghoff is currently a co-chair of the Demand Response Collaborative, launched jointly by FERC and the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC) and is a member of NARUC’s Committee on Energy Resources and the Environment. He is a member of the Advisory Committee of the Institute for Electric Efficiency and served as an advisor to the Defense Science Board’s Energy Policy Task Force. Wellinghoff also advises the Energy Foundation and the Natural Resources Defense Council on China-U.S. energy policy matters.

Before joining FERC, Wellinghoff—who holds a juris doctorate and a master of arts in mathematics—was in private practice related to renewable energy, energy efficiency, and distributed generation. He has represented an array of clients from federal agencies, renewable developers, and large consumers of power to energy-efficient product manufacturers and clean energy advocacy organizations.

He was also the primary author of the Nevada Renewable Portfolio Standard Act, and he worked with clients to develop renewable portfolio standards in six other states. Wellinghoff is considered an expert on the state renewable portfolio process and has lectured extensively on the subject in numerous forums, including the Vermont Law School, his biography says.

Wellinghoff will assume duties undertaken by Joseph Kelliher, who stepped down as chairman on Jan. 20.

A FERC chairperson—the chief executive of the agency—directs management of its staff of 1,300 and its $260 million budget toward pursuit of the independent regulatory agency’s five core missions: economic regulation, energy infrastructure, safety, reliability, and enforcement.

Under law, three of the agency’s five commissioners represent the party of the president, while two are representatives of the minority party.

Sources: FERC, POWERnews

SHARE this article