Trump taps Mark Christie to replace Phillips as US FERC chairman

Commissioner Mark Christie will serve as the next chair of the US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, replacing Democrat Willie Phillips, the White House said in a Jan. 20 statement.

Christie, the senior Republican on the commission, was nominated to FERC at the end of President Donald Trump's first term in 2020. Prior to joining the commission, he served as the chairman of the Virginia State Corporation Commission.

During his tenure at FERC, Christie emphasized the need to develop energy infrastructure to promote reliability, and pushed the commission to scrutinize costs for retail consumers before approving electric transmission rates.

"For four years, I have emphasized protecting consumers from excessive power bills, meeting the reliability crisis driven by losses of dispatchable generation and failure to build new generation, in the face of rising demand," Christie said in a statement posted on social media. "Meeting these challenges are my top priorities and I have always said that the states must be full partners with FERC in protecting customers and assuring reliability."

On the power side, Christie was a fierce critic of a sweeping new FERC grid planning rule, Order 1920, aimed at boosting the nation's grid capacity when it was initially passed in May. In a lengthy dissent, he argued that the rule overstepped the agency's statutory authority and superseded the role of state regulatory bodies.

On rehearing, Christie concurred in part to the rule after provisions were added to give states more authority on scenario development and cost allocation processes. However, the portion of his dissent that said FERC lacked the legal justification to issue the rule still stands.

On the gas side, Christie is a staunch advocate for pipeline development and frequently hashed out compromises with Phillips to advance infrastructure projects. And while natural gas project orders drew sharp divisions in recent years over matters such as greenhouse gas considerations, recent decisions on project certificates have advanced with little fanfare at FERC meetings, without dissents, by the five sitting commissioners at the agency now.

As chair, Christie will set the commission's regulatory agenda and exert considerable influence over staffing. However, how much control he can wield will depend on how long departing chair Phillips decides to stay on as commissioner. Phillip's term officially expires in 2026. In the past, FERC chairs have many times stepped away from the agency when the presidency is won by a member of the opposing political party and appoints a new chair. But Phillips told reporters in December he had made no decision on whether to stay or go.

If Phillips stays, Democrats could retain a 3-2 majority through 2026. If he decides to vacate his post early, President Donald Trump would be able to nominate a Republican replacement, which would give Republicans a majority.

Of note, Christie's term is set to expire in June, but he can stay in his position until Congress adjourns at the end of the year if the Senate does not confirm his replacement. He has not commented publicly if he intends to seek a second term on the commission.

The selection of Christie by Trump drew support from former FERC members from across the political spectrum.

Former Chairman Richard Glick, a Democrat, welcomed Christie as a "consistent and strong voice for protecting energy consumers."

Former Commissioner Bernard McNamee, a Republican, said the new chairman is "committed to reliable and affordable energy and to the rule of law."