US Energy Commissions Confront Big Agendas With Empty Seats

As President Joe Biden presses for climate action in 2024, two independent energy commissions are working on major rulemakings with empty seats, raising pressure on the White House to nominate new members during a busy election year.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and Nuclear Regulatory Commission are weighing rules that have direct ties to meeting the Biden administration’s climate goals of decarbonizing the power grid by 2035.

The NRC oversees nuclear licensing and is weighing extensions of the current US fleet of nuclear reactors while creating a new regulatory pathway for potentially dozens of advanced reactors in coming years. FERC ...