Trump to Tap Democrat to Lead US Agency Overseeing Gas, Power

President Donald Trump is preparing to tap David Rosner to be chair of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, which oversees key decisions about natural gas export terminals and power lines.

The move, described by a White House official who asked for anonymity before a formal announcement, would put a Democrat at the head of an agency central to Trump’s plans to propel American oil, gas and coal.

Rosner, who was appointed to the commission by former President Joe Biden, previously served as an aide to then-Senator Joe Manchin, a Democrat-turned-independent who represented West Virginia and advocated for gas and coal interests in the chamber before his departure in January. Rosner is seen as supportive of the president’s priorities, the official said.

The commission became a political battlefield under the first Trump administration as the president’s appointees unsuccessfully pushed policies promoting natural gas- and coal-fired power. While that effort continues, the data-center boom has ushered in new demand for natural gas and other forms of cheap energy. Last month, an annual power sale by the biggest US electric grid saw prices soar to a record $16.1 billion, underscoring the growing need for megawatts to power artificial intelligence.

The planned elevation of Rosner, which was previously reported by Axios, would put the commissioner in the chair role just vacated by Mark Christie, a Republican.

To contact the reporters on this story:
Jennifer A. Dlouhy in Washington at jdlouhy1@bloomberg.net;
Naureen S. Malik in New York at nmalik28@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story:
Justin Sink at jsink1@bloomberg.net

Catherine Traywick

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