[EEI, 6 December 2018]

The Senate has voted in favor of Bernard McNamee’s FERC Commissioner nomination 50 to 49. McNamee will replace Robert Powelson, who was nominated by Trump to FERC in May of 2018. McNamee has faced controversy for his ties to the fossil fuel industry and what can be seen as aversion to the renewable industry and environmental sector in general. Tom Kuhn, President of the Edison Electric Institute (EEI), congratulated McNamee for his Senate confirmation saying, “EEI and America's electric companies thank Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and the Senate for recognizing the importance of maintaining a full Commission and for voting to confirm Commissioner Bernard McNamee. There are many critical issues impacting EEI member companies and their customers. Among them, we need to update the transmission planning process, streamline the siting and permitting process, and develop predictability for the return on equity for transmission projects in order to attract investment, all while ensuring the reliability and security of the energy grid. We also need to modernize the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act (PURPA) because market abuses are creating billions of dollars in unnecessary costs for customers.”