Nevadan takes the helm of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

Friday, Jan. 23, 2009 | 4:16 p.m.

A Nevadan has been named acting chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

President Barack Obama today named Jon Wellinghoff acting chairman of the agency that oversees wholesale electric transactions and interstate electric transmission and gas transportation in the United States.

Wellinghoff, 59, is a front-runner to be nominated for the permanent position. His main competition appears to be fellow Commissioner Suedeen Kelly. John Norris, the current chairman of the Iowa Utilities Board, has also been discussed as a possibility to join FERC either as chairman or as a commissioner.

"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.

A former consumer advocate and attorney who worked in renewable energy and efficiency fields, Wellinghoff is strongly aligned with Obama's energy agenda. He has a bachelor's degree in mathematics from the University of Nevada, Reno, and a law degree from the Antioch School of Law.

He was sworn in as a FERC commissioner by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid in 2006 and was recently re-appointed to a second term.

Before joining FERC, he was in private practice and focused exclusively on client matters related to renewable energy, energy efficiency and distributed generation. While in the private sector, Commissioner Wellinghoff 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.

Wellinghoff also was the primary author of the Nevada Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) Act. The Nevada RPS is one of the two states to receive an “A” rating by the Union of Concerned Scientists. In addition, he worked with clients to develop renewable portfolio standards in six other states. He 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 experience also includes two terms as the State of Nevada’s first consumer advocate for customers of public utilities. While serving in that role, Wellinghoff represented Nevada’s utility consumers before the Public Utilities Commission of Nevada, the FERC, and in appeals before the Nevada Supreme Court. While consumer advocate, he authored the first comprehensive state utility integrated planning statute. That statute has become a model for utility integrated planning processes across the country.

Discussion: 2 comments so far…

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By RunningonEmpty

Jan. 23, 2009

10:06 p.m.

Suggest removal

There could be no better investment in America than to invest in America becoming energy independent! We need to utilize everything in out power to reduce our dependence on foreign oil including using our own natural resources. Create cheap clean energy, new badly needed green jobs, and reduce our dependence on foreign oil. OPEC will continue to cut production until they achieve their desired 80-100. per barrel. The high cost of fuel this past year seriously damaged our economy and society. Oil is finite. We are using oil globally at the rate of 2X faster than new oil is being discovered. We need to take some of these billions in bail out bucks and bail ourselves out of our dependence on foreign oil. It would cost the equivalent of 60 cents a gallon to charge and drive an electric car. If all gasoline cars, trucks, and SUV's instead had plug-in electric drive trains, the amount of electricity needed to replace gasoline is about equal to the estimated wind energy potential of the state of North Dakota. Jeff Wilson has a really good new book out called The Manhattan Project of 2009 Energy Independence Now. He explores our uses of oil besides gasoline, our depletion, out reserves and stores as well as viable options to replace oil.Oil is finite, it will run out in the not too distant future. WE need to take some of these billions in bail out bucks and bail America out of it's dependence on foreign oil. The historic high price of gas this past year did serious damage to our economy and society. WE should never allow others to have that much power over our economy again. I wish every member of congress would read this book too.
www.themanhattanprojectof2009.com
By getalife

Jan. 24, 2009

12:06 a.m.

Suggest removal

RunningonEmpty,
Excellent comment, I feel bad for you though, the politicians could care less about the truth or even a good plan. They would rather just spout off and not get a damn thing done.

The only way they would care is if Jeff Wilson cut them in on the action.