House advances Walberg-Dingell FERC bill

The U.S. House of Representatives recently advanced a bill that aims to reduce paperwork burdens during the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s (FERC) review process.

The legislation, introduced by Reps. Tim Walberg (R-MI) and Debbie Dingell (D-MI), amends the Federal Power Act to ensure that all energy transactions under FERC’s jurisdiction are subject to the same review standard. The bill, H.R. 1109, brings the threshold for mergers and consolidations into line with other categories.

“This commonsense bill eases excessive regulatory barriers and allows FERC to focus on its mission of affordable and reliable energy,” Walberg said. “Applying a consistent standard for FERC’s reviews will help streamline the process and save money for consumers. I thank Representative Dingell for working with me on this bipartisan legislation, and I look forward to it being signed into law.”

The Edison Electric Institute (EEI) commended the advancement of the legislation.

“EEI applauds congressional passage of H.R. 1109, which clarifies the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s authority over mergers and acquisitions of electric company assets,” EEI President Tom Kuhn said. “This legislation, which now heads to President Trump for his signature, will help reduce excessive regulatory costs for EEI’s member companies and our customers.”