An Introduction to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission: A Little Agency With A Very Big Impact

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) can rightly be described as a little agency with a big impact. Even though FERC is one of the smallest and least known agencies in the Federal government, it plays a major role in the U.S. economy because it has extensive jurisdiction over the operations of energy companies and energy markets in the country. FERC is both an economic regulator, and, since 2005, an enforcement agency. It is primarily responsible for overseeing the wholesale sales of natural gas and electric energy in interstate commerce, the transmission of natural gas, electric energy, and oil in interstate commerce, and the reliability of the electric grid. While it focuses on national energy issues, its decisions significantly affect state and local energy policies and even unregulated energy markets. And it frequently gets into squabbles with other Federal agencies.    

For those new to energy law or to the FERC world, join Susan J. Court, a FERC practitioner for over 33 years, for an introduction to the little agency with a very big impact.

Learning Objectives: 

I.      An overview of U.S. energy operations

II.     An understanding of FERC's role with respect to those operations

III.    A description of energy industry sectors affected by FERC and how they interact with the agency 

IV.    An explanation of the legal and political process related to the Commission leadership

V.     A breakdown of agency staff and their significance in the decision-making process

VI.    An exposition of the varied and extensive areas of the FERC's jurisdiction 

VII.   A description and the significance of the locations of FERC operations  

VIII.  An explanation of the timing and mechanics of the decision-making process

IX.    A discussion of the extent of FERC's enforcement authority and its relationship to other Federal enforcement agencies, in particular the CFTC and the FTC

X.     An overview of the judicial review process applicable to FERC decisions