Federal agency, the FERC, experiences a vacancy as Christie resigns, leaving the organization with only three active members.
FERC Gets a New Interim Chairman: David Rosner
David Rosner, a Democratic member of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), has been appointed as the interim chairman of the commission. This change comes following the departure of Mark Christie, who stepped down from his position last Friday.
Rosner joined FERC in 2017 as an energy industry analyst and became a commissioner in June 2024. Prior to his role at FERC, he has worked in various capacities within the energy sector, including policy advising at the U.S. Department of Energy and work at the Bipartisan Policy Center.
Rosner's appointment as interim chairman is temporary, pending the confirmation of two Republican nominees to potentially shift the commission's majority. The nominees, Laura Swett and David LaCerte, are yet to have their nominations cleared by the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee and the full Senate.
Rosner is highly regarded for his consensus-driven approach to decision-making and his priorities, which include maintaining grid reliability while balancing affordability, managing the energy transition, and supporting the development of gas and transmission infrastructure. His pragmatic, evidence-based style and focus on advancing reliable, affordable, and clean energy infrastructure have earned him praise from industry groups such as the American Clean Power Association and the North American Electric Reliability Corporation.
During his tenure at FERC, Rosner has shown a skepticism towards capacity markets and has sought to trim the financial incentives FERC offers companies that build transmission lines. He has also been involved in the discussion regarding the colocation policy options for the PJM Interconnection.
In a notable case, in November, Rosner and another commissioner, See, voted against an amended interconnection service agreement related to a co-located Amazon data center at the Susquehanna nuclear power plant. Interestingly, the commissioners Rosett and LaCerte did not participate in this case due to potential conflicts from their previous work.
As the energy sector continues to evolve, Rosner's leadership at FERC is expected to play a crucial role in navigating the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. The White House, in its efforts to seat a FERC majority that will support a framework for data center co-location, is reportedly looking forward to Rosner's tenure as interim chairman.
[1] The Hill
[2] Reuters
[3] Utility Dive
[4] Greentech Media
Funding from financial institutions could be crucial for the energy transition agenda that Rosner prioritizes, given his focus on advancing reliable, affordable, and clean energy infrastructure.
The temporary tenure of Rosner as interim chairman at FERC, despite the pending confirmation of Swett and LaCerte, may impact the regulatory approach towards capacity markets and data center co-location within the energy industry.
