On May 23, 2025, FERC upheld on rehearing its prior orders authorizing Venture Global CP2 LNG, LLC to build a new liquified natural gas (“LNG”) export terminal (“CP2 LNG Terminal”) and granting Venture Global CP Express, LLC (together, with Venture Global CP2 LNG, LLC, “Venture Global”) a certificate of public convenience and necessity (“CPCN”) to construct and operate a new natural gas pipeline (“CP Express Pipeline,” together, with the CP2 LNG Terminal, the “Projects”) to connect the CP2 LNG Terminal to the existing natural gas pipeline grid (“May 23 Rehearing Order”). In its May 23 Rehearing Order, FERC continued to find that the Projects are environmentally acceptable actions and not inconsistent with the public interest.
FERC News
FERC Again Rejects Co-Located Load Increase Proposal at Nuclear Facility
On April 10, 2025, FERC addressed arguments on rehearing that clarified, but did not modify the outcome of, a November 1, 2024, order (“Rejection Order”) rejecting PJM Interconnection, L.L.C.’s (“PJM”) proposal to increase the co-located data center load at a Susquehanna Nuclear, LLC (“Susquehanna”) nuclear generating facility. FERC again found that PJM’s amended Interconnection Service Agreement’s (“ISA”) non-conforming provisions were not necessary deviations from the pro forma ISA. However, FERC did clarify that the Rejection Order did not prevent other entities from filing non-conforming ISAs to address issues relating to co-located data center load.
FERC Grants BP Energy’s Complaint Appealing CAISO Meter Data Reporting Penalty
On February 27, 2025, FERC granted a complaint filed by BP Energy Retail Company California LLC (“BP Energy” or “Company”) under sections 206 and 306 of the Federal Power Act appealing a penalty the California Independent System Operator Corporation (“CAISO”) assessed against BP Energy under a section of CAISO’s Open…
FERC Denies Great Basin Transmission’s Request for Transmission Rate Incentives
On February 20, 2025, FERC denied Great Basin Transmission, LLC’s (“Great Basin”) request for two transmission incentives for Great Basin’s Southwest Intertie Project-North Transmission Line and associated upgrades to Great Basin’s existing One Nevada Transmission Line (together, the “Project”). FERC found that Great Basin did not demonstrate that the Project…
FERC Reinstates Authorization for Transco Pipeline Expansion Project
On January 24, 2025, FERC reinstated a certificate of public convenience and necessity (“CPCN”) for Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Company’s (“Transco”) Regional Energy Access Expansion Project (“Project”) after the D.C. Circuit vacated and remanded FERC’s initial order certificating the Project (“Certificate Order”).
In January 2023, FERC granted Transco a CPCN…
Court Finds FERC Appropriately Evaluated Decision to Retain Dams in License Surrender
On January 14, 2025, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit (“D.C. Circuit”) held that FERC complied with the National Environmental Policy Act (“NEPA”) in approving the surrender of a hydroelectric project license. The court found that FERC had adequately considered the alternative of dam removal and determined that keeping the dams in place outweighed any potential benefits to recreation, fisheries, and other environmental concerns. The case, American Whitewater v. FERC, involved a challenge to FERC’s license surrender decision regarding the Somersworth Hydroelectric Project (“Project”) on the Salmon Falls River, which spans the border between New Hampshire and Maine.
FERC Approves Contested Settlement Agreement and Rate Schedule for Provision of Reliability Must-Run Service
On January 16, 2025, FERC approved a contested settlement agreement and rate schedule governing the provision of reliability must-run (“RMR”) service from the Indian River Unit 4 generating facility (“Unit 4”) in PJM Interconnection, L.L.C. (“PJM”).
President Trump Names Christie as FERC Chairman and Signs Energy-Related Executive Orders
On January 20, 2025, Donald Trump was sworn in as the 47th President of the United States. On his first day in office, President Trump signed various executive orders effectuating administrative and policy changes across the federal government, including naming a new FERC Chairman and declaring a national energy emergency.…
FERC Issues Nearly $1B Market Manipulation Penalty Regarding Alleged Energy Efficiency Projects
On December 16, 2024, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (“FERC”) directed American Efficient, LLC, its subsidiaries, and corporate parents (collectively, “American Efficient”) to show cause why American Efficient should not be found to have violated anti-manipulation rules. The order alleges that American Efficient engaged in a manipulative scheme to extract millions of dollars in capacity payments from Midcontinent Independent System Operator, Inc. (“MISO”) and PJM Interconnection, L.L.C. (“PJM”) for energy efficiency projects that did not actually reduce energy use. FERC also requested American Efficient to show cause why they should not disgorge over $253 million in unjust profits and pay a civil penalty of $722 million.
FERC Denies CPower’s Complaint Requesting Revisions to PJM’s Tariff Governing Curtailment Service Providers
On September 19, 2024, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (“FERC”) denied Enerwise Global Technologies, LLC’s (“CPower”) complaint against PJM Interconnection, LLC (“PJM”) alleging that PJM’s Open Access Transmission Tariff (“Tariff”) was unjust, unreasonable, and unduly discriminatory because it prevents Curtailment Service Providers (“CSP”) from using approved statistical sampling rules to…