Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)

On April 20, 2016, the U.S. Senate passed the Energy Policy Modernization Act of 2016 (the Act) by a vote of 85-12. If signed into law, the bipartisan bill would impact manufacturing operations across industries by promoting energy efficiency; encouraging renewable energy development; facilitating improvements in infrastructure, including grid storage; removing certain hurdles to the development and export of oil and gas, critical minerals, and other resources; and making other changes intended to keep pace with the nation’s rapidly changing energy industry.
Continue Reading Senate Energy Bill Could Impact Manufacturing Operations Across Industries

The Supreme Court, in a 6-2 landmark decision issued January 25, 2016, in Fed. Energy Regulatory Comm’n v. Elec. Power Supply Ass’n, 136 S.Ct. 760, 193 L.Ed.2d 661 (2016), upheld FERC Order No. 745 and ruled that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has authority to establish demand response rules and rates in wholesale power markets. FERC’s rules call for payments to large energy users that reduce their electric usage during periods of high electricity demand.

The Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit had vacated Order No. 745, ruling among other things that FERC had overstepped its authority and directly interfered with the states’ exclusive right to regulate the retail electricity market.Continue Reading The Supreme Court Upholds FERC’s Authority Over Demand Response Payments Bringing Smiles To Big Energy Users