On January 22, 2026, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission or FERC) issued a 40‑year original license to FFP Project 101, LLC (FFP) to construct and operate a 1,200‑megawatt pumped storage hydropower facility, the Goldendale Energy Storage Project, in Klickitat County, Washington. FERC found that, with conditions, the closed‑loop pumped storage project will add significant long‑duration capacity and flexibility to help integrate renewable resources in the Western grid.
FERC News
FERC Upholds Application of SFV Rate Design to NGPA Section 311 Service
On December 18, 2025, FERC maintained that gas pipelines offering service under section 311 of the Natural Gas Policy Act (NGPA) that base their section 311 rates on state-approved rates must nonetheless comply with Straight-Fixed Variable (SFV) rate design or justify a departure from SFV. Specifically, FERC denied Matterhorn Express…
FERC Terminates Long-Pending Rulemaking and Policy Proceedings
On November 20, 2025, FERC terminated several long-pending rulemaking and policy dockets in an effort to provide “regulatory certainty.” Specifically, FERC closed RM22-20, RM18-10, RM20-7, and PL20-7.
RM22-20 proposed requiring that any entity communicating with FERC or other specified organizations related to a matter subject to FERC’s jurisdiction submit accurate…
MISO to Expand Number of Interconnection Requests it Can Study on Expedited Basis
On November 25, 2025, FERC accepted the Midcontinent Independent System Operator, Inc.’s (MISO) proposal to expand the number of interconnection requests MISO may study under its temporary, fast-tracked generator interconnection process. FERC concluded that the proposal will help ensure interconnection customers are able to interconnect to the MISO transmission system in a reliable, efficient, and timely manner.
Fifth Circuit Rejects Pipeline’s and Challengers’ Petitions for Review of FERC Order Certificating GTN Expansion Project
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) denied GTN’s petition for review challenging FERC’s denial of a…
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On October 7, 2025, FERC rescinded the regulation that precluded natural gas pipeline companies from receiving authorization to proceed with construction of their new projects during the period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 pending. In doing so, FERC stated that its rescission will…
FERC Sunsets 53 Regulations in Response to April Executive Order
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, along with nine other agencies, was required to establish one-year…
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 Pipeline Company (Tennessee Gas) to construct a new natural gas…
FERC Demands More Detail from SPP Regarding its Plan to Unwind Attachment Z2 Upgrade Charges
In the latest chapter in a long-running saga dealing with certain credits for transmission upgrades in the Southwest Power Pool (SPP), on September 18, 2025, FERC directed SPP to submit a compliance filing addressing certain aspects of SPP’s proposed plan (Refund Plan) for unwinding credit payment obligations assessed by SPP.
FERC Reauthorizes Transco’s Northeast Pipeline Project
On August 28, 2025, FERC reauthorized Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Company, LLC’s (Transco) Northeast Supply Enhancement Project (NESE) to deliver natural gas supply to the Northeast, including the New York City area. FERC previously issued a certificate of public convenience and necessity (CPCN) for NESE in 2019, but Transco let…