Last week, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that it will formally grant the Railroad Commission of Texas (RRC) primary authority (known as “primacy”) to administer the Class VI Underground Injection Control (UIC) program for the geologic sequestration of
Washington Energy Report
The Washington Energy Report, published by Troutman Pepper Locke, focuses on regulatory developments and enforcement actions related to energy markets and infrastructure. It covers Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) decisions on transmission tariffs, demand resource testing, pipeline price indices, and generator interconnection processes. The blog also addresses FERC rulemakings, policy proceedings, and litigation involving market manipulation and tariff compliance. Topics include regulatory certainty initiatives, enforcement proceedings, and procedural updates affecting oil pipelines, electricity markets, and natural gas infrastructure. The content is relevant for stakeholders in energy regulation, market operations, and compliance within the U.S. energy sector.
Latest from Washington Energy Report - Page 8
FERC Grants ISO-NE Waiver in Capacity Scarcity Penalty Case
On October 31, 2025, FERC granted ISO New England’s (ISO-NE) request for a limited waiver of its Tariff and Billing Policy to refund, approximately $68,000 in Capacity Performance charges to Brookfield White Pine Hydro LLC (Brookfield). The waiver relates to…
Fifth Circuit Rejects Pipeline’s and Challengers’ Petitions for Review of FERC Order Certificating GTN Expansion Project
By Alex Spratley & Jill Drum
On October 28, 2025, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit (Fifth Circuit) denied several petitions for review of FERC’s authorization of Gas Transmission NW, LLC’s (GTN) GTN Xpress compressor expansion project (Project). Specifically, the Fifth Circuit (1)…
FERC Staff Audit Report Identifies CIP Standard Compliance Risks in FY2025
On October 20, 2025, FERC Staff issued a report outlining areas of risk to the reliability of the electric grid based on non-public Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP) Audits of U.S. based North American Electric Reliability (NERC) registered entities’ (Registered Entities)…
NASA to Grid: The Journey of Nickel-Hydrogen Batteries With Majid Keshavarz, EnerVenue
Join host Bill Derasmo as he chats with Dr. Majid Keshavarz, chief technology officer at EnerVenue. They trace the evolution of nickel‑hydrogen batteries from their NASA origins in the 1970s — proven on missions like Hubble, the ISS, and Mars…
FERC Accepts SPP’s Provisional Load Interconnection Process
By Ben Duwve & Dixon Wallace
On October 10, 2025, FERC accepted Southwest Power Pool, Inc.’s (“SPP”) proposed revisions to its Open Access Transmission Tariff (“OATT”) to establish a provisional load interconnection process. SPP argued the provisional load interconnection process is driven by an increase in…
Senate Confirms Commissioners Swett and LaCerte to Fill Remaining FERC Seats
By Antonia Douglas & Jill Drum
On October 7, 2025, the U.S. Senate confirmed the nominations of Laura V. Swett and David A. LaCerte as FERC Commissioners. Once they are sworn in as Commissioners, they will fill the remaining two seats on the five-member Commission. Commissioner…
FERC Rescinds Regulation in Effort to Reduce Natural Gas Project Construction Delays
On October 7, 2025, FERC rescinded the regulation that precluded natural gas pipeline companies from receiving authorization to proceed with construction of their new projects during the period for filing requests for rehearing of certificate orders, or while rehearing is…
FERC Sunsets 53 Regulations in Response to April Executive Order
By Jill Drum & Antonia Douglas
On October 1, 2025, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission issued a final rule revising 53 regulations to include conditional sunset provision in response to the April 2025 Executive Order titled “Zero-Based Regulatory Budgeting to Unleash American Energy.” FERC,…
D.C. Circuit Denies Sierra Club’s and Appalachian Voice’s Petition for Review of FERC Order Authorizing Construction and Operation of Natural Gas Pipeline
On September 30, 2025, the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals denied a joint petition for review brought by Sierra Club and Appalachian Voices (together, Petitioners) challenging FERC’s grant of a certificate of public convenience and necessity (CPCN) to Tennessee Gas…