Former Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Chair Neil Chatterjee said on Thursday he gave a road map to the Trump transition team on how to implement job cuts at the agency that regulates the nation’s gas and electric systems.
Chatterjee — who was demoted from his position as the agency’s chair by President Donald Trump in 2020 — posted an offer on X on Wednesday to help the transition team identify potential targets to eliminate.
That message drew criticism from other former FERC officials, who warned it could prompt an exodus of talented staff at the agency that regulates the nation’s interstate pipelines and electricity markets at a critical period for the power industry.
Utilities, grid operators and state regulators have grown increasingly concerned about the power network’s ability to ensure reliability and accommodate new power generation — from both renewable energy and natural gas plants — that will be needed to meet skyrocketing demand driven by new data centers and a resurgence in manufacturing.
