In a statement released on September 9, 2021, the Biden administration announced its intention to nominate Willie L. Phillips, Chairman of the Public Service Commission of the District of Columbia (“DCPSC”), to fill the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (“FERC”) seat recently vacated by Commissioner Chatterjee. Mr. Phillips was appointed Commissioner of the DCPSC in 2014 and reappointed to serve as Chairman in 2018. Prior to joining the DCPSC, Chairman Phillips served as Assistant General Counsel of NERC and worked as an energy regulatory attorney in private practice. Chairman Phillips currently serves on the Board of Directors of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (“NARUC”) and as Chair of the Select Committee on Regulatory and Industry Diversity. He is also President of the Mid-Atlantic Conference of Regulatory Utility Commissioners; a member of the Executive Committee for the Advisory Council to the Electric Power Research Institute; and serves on the Board of Directors of the Organization of PJM States, Inc. Senator Manchin (D-WV), in a concurrent statement issued, stated that he looks forward to having Chairman Phillips appear before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee to examine his record and qualifications to serve as FERC Commissioner. Appointment of Mr. Phillips would fill the only open seat at FERC, leading to a 3-2 Commission, led by Democrats.
