The temporary chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission denied Tuesday that he is purposely delaying the swearing in of two fellow commissioners who would fill out the five-member board.
Critics have speculated that Neil Chatterjee could be delaying Republican Kevin McIntyre, slated to be the new FERC chairman, and Democrat Richard Glick, from being sworn in so that he can ensure a favorable vote on Energy Secretary Rick Perry’s proposal to subsidize coal and nuclear plants. The deadline for the decision is Dec. 11.
“I do want to be clear with everybody: You guys are reading way too much into this. There is no conspiracy here. There is no intentional delay or dragging things out to some nefarious end,” Chatterjee told reporters Tuesday morning after speaking at a Consumer Energy Alliance Event.
A spokesman for FERC confirmed soon after that Glick will be sworn in Wednesday. However, the commission has not said when McIntyre will be sworn in.
Glick was a Democratic attorney for the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. McIntyre is a former energy industry adviser and lawyer.
The Senate confirmed both of their nominations Nov. 2, and their membership on the commission will give FERC a full slate of five members for the first time in two years.
Chatterjee, a former staffer of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said the delay in swearing them in is normal practice.
“It’s simply a matter of timing, prioritization, getting documents signed,” he said Tuesday. “Then, once the documents are signed … people have to unwind their own professional obligations in their current jobs before they can transition over.”
He added that there are “no Machiavellian games here” and “both of them will be sworn in short order.”
McIntyre and Glick’s position on FERC will be key in figuring how the commission votes on Perry’s proposal to compensate coal and nuclear plants for the reliability they bring to the power grid. Chatterjee has expressed strong support for adopting the proposed rule in some form.
He has said he would like to issue an interim measure to boost coal and nuclear plants to give the commission more time to study the issue.
McIntyre and Glick, however, stressed in their September confirmation hearings that they would adhere to the commission’s basic duties of approving and regulating the interstate transmission of electricity, natural gas and crude oil, without favoring one energy source over another.
The other FERC members are Republican Rob Powelson, a former Pennsylvania energy regulator who joined the board this summer, and Cheryl LaFleur, a Democratic holdover from the Obama administration.
LaFleur and Powelson have reacted more skeptically to Perry’s plan, vowing to maintain the board’s independence.
