Trump picks two for spots on FERCNuclear NewsPower & OperationsJuly 30, 2020, 7:15AM|Nuclear News StaffClementsChristieThe White House earlier this week announced its intention to nominate Allison Clements, a Democrat, and Mark C. Christie, a Republican, to seats on the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. If both are confirmed by the Senate, FERC will have a full complement of five commissioners—three Republicans and two Democrats—for the first time since before Cheryl LaFleur departed in August last year.The picks: Clements is the founder and president of Goodgrid LLC, an energy policy and strategy consulting firm based in Salt Lake City, Utah. Previously, she was director of the energy markets program at the Energy Foundation. Clements has also been a corporate counsel with the Natural Resources Defense Council and director of its Sustainable FERC project. She would fill the seat left vacant by LaFleur.Christie is chairman of the Virginia State Corporation Commission, an independent branch of the state government with regulatory authority over utilities. He has also been president of the Organization of PJM States and the Mid-Atlantic Conference of Regulatory Commissioners. Christie would take the seat currently held by Commissioner Bernard McNamee, whose term expired on June 30 but who is allowed to remain on the commission until a successor is confirmed or until the current Congress ends in January of next year.Trump pleases a Democrat: “In a political climate that is often paralyzed by partisanship, a bipartisan FERC is more essential than ever,” said Sen. Joe Manchin (D., W.Va.), ranking member of the Senate’s Energy and Natural Resources Committee. “I thank the president and the White House for nominating both a Democrat and Republican today, because it is an important step towards restoring a fully seated commission.”Following the Senate vote in March approving the nomination of Republican James Danly for a FERC seat, Manchin and others expressed frustration over the president’s failure to nominate a Democrat along with Danly.Tags:enrfercmanchinShare:LinkedInTwitterFacebook
Senate approves Trump’s FERC nomineesChristieClementsThe Senate has confirmed the nominations of Republican Mark Christie and Democrat Allison Clements to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission by voice vote, bringing the agency to its full, five-member complement for the first time since before Cheryl LaFleur departed in August of last year.The chamber’s Energy and Natural Resources Committee voted on November 18 to advance the pair to the full Senate for confirmation, following their testimony before the committee in September. President Trump announced his intention to nominate Christie and Clements in July.Go to Article
American Nuclear Society files FERC comments on Diablo Canyon’s early closureLa Grange Park, IL – The American Nuclear Society (ANS) has submitted comments to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) in favor of reconsidering the shortsighted decision to shutter prematurely California’s largest clean energy resource, Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant.ANS filed the comments on Nov. 12 in favor of an Oct. 26 complaint by Californians for Green Nuclear Power against the regulatory approvals of the 2016 decision by Pacific Gas & Electric Co. to permanently shutter Diablo Canyon Units 1 and 2 in November 2024 and August 2025, respectively. The complaint (Docket No. EL21-13-000) asked FERC to investigate whether the decision shuttering Diablo Canyon violates grid reliability standards. ANS agrees with the complaint that FERC ought to consider fully the negative consequences and reliability risks posed by a premature retirement of Diablo Canyon.Go to Article
ANS backs effort to save Diablo CanyonDiablo Canyon nuclear plant. Photo: PG&EThe American Nuclear Society has submitted a letter to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission in support of a complaint recently filed by a nuclear advocacy group regarding the 2016 decision to prematurely retire the Diablo Canyon nuclear plant.The letter was signed by ANS Executive Director and CEO Craig Piercy and President Mary Lou Dunzik-Gougar.Go to Article
Chatterjee out as FERC chairman, Danly inChatterjeeThe Trump administration on November 5 removed Neil Chatterjee from the chairmanship of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, replacing him with fellow Republican James Danly, who was confirmed to a seat on the commission in March.Chatterjee joined FERC in 2017, serving as chairman from August to December 2017. He returned to the leadership role in October 2018, following the departure of Kevin McIntyre. In a tweet, Chatterjee said that he intends to complete his term, which expires in June 2021.Go to Article
Complaint filed with FERC to save Diablo Canyon from early closureA nuclear advocacy group is asking the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to review the approval by California regulators of the decision by Pacific Gas and Electric in 2016 to prematurely retire its Diablo Canyon plant—the Golden State’s only remaining operating nuclear power facility—in 2025.On October 26, the nonprofit organization Californians for Green Nuclear Power Inc. (CGNP) filed a 32-page complaint with FERC in the matter, listing as respondents the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC), Western Electricity Coordinating Council (WECC), California Independent System Operator (CAISO), California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), California State Water Resources Control Board (CSWRCB), and California State Lands Commission (CSLC).Go to Article
Legislation to reduce Russian uranium imports introduced in SenateSens. John Barrasso (R., Wyo.) and Martin Heinrich (D., N.M.) on September 24 introduced S. 4694, the Russian Suspension Agreement Extension Act of 2020, designed to extend and expand limits on Russian uranium imports. The legislation—cosponsored by Sens. Tom Cotton (R., Ark.), Kevin Cramer (R., N.D.), Lindsey Graham (R., S.C.), Joe Manchin (D., W.Va.), Lisa Murkowski (R., Alaska), and Jim Risch (R., Idaho)—has been referred to the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.Go to Article
Exelon to close Byron and Dresden plants in 2021Exelon Generation, operator of the largest nuclear reactor fleet in the United States, intends to downsize that fleet next year by retiring its Byron and Dresden plants. In an announcement released early this morning, Exelon said that the two-unit Byron, located near Byron, Ill., would be permanently closed in September 2021, followed in November by the two-unit Dresden, located in Morris, Ill.Byron is licensed to operate for another 20 years; Dresden, a much older facility, is licensed for another decade.Go to Article
McNamee stepping down from FERCMcNameeBernard McNamee, one of the four current members of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, has announced that he will be leaving the agency next month, narrowing its majority to two Republicans to one Democrat. As Newswire reported on July 30, the White House intends to nominate Republican Mark C. Christie to fill McNamee’s seat and Democrat Allison Clements to fill FERC’s remaining Democratic seat.Go to Article
Exelon, EDF ask NY to okay proposed nuclear dealExelon Generation and Électricitéde France have asked the New York Public Service Commission to approve the transfer of EDF’s 49.99 percent ownership interest in Constellation Energy Nuclear Group (CENG) to Exelon, which owns 50.1 percent. CENG is the owner of New York’s Ginna and Nine Mile Point nuclear plants, as well as Maryland’s Calvert Cliffs. Go to Article
Murkowski, Manchin make case for AEIAU.S. Sens. Lisa Murkowski (R., Alaska), chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, and Joe Manchin (D., W.Va.), the committee’s ranking member, put their rhetorical skills to the test earlier this week as the two urged colleagues to pass the American Energy Innovation Act (AEIA), a comprehensive piece of energy policy legislation introduced by the bipartisan pair in late February (NN, Apr. 2020, p. 14). Go to Article
