As the U.S. enters the next era of energy, the head of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission said its top priority is "keeping the lights on."
The U.S. energy sector is in "a really exciting time," Chairman Neil Chatterjee told Cheddar Monday. His agency is charged with overseeing the power grid.
"The U.S. became a net exporter of energy for the first time in 60 years in 2017," Chatterjee said, which has had positive economic benefits for job creation, job growth, according to the chairman. He also said it has helped in international relations because the U.S. has become a major player in the industry that was previously dominated by Russia.
Plus, there is a potential, positive environmental impact.
"U.S. clean [liquified natural gas (LNG)] distorting more carbon-intense sources of fuel in other parts of the world will lead to lower carbon emissions and impact carbon mitigation," he claimed.
Not everyone agrees LNG is good for the environment, as production can increase the release of methane gas. The tonnage of methane emissions is currently smaller than that of carbon dioxide but can be harmful in the short-term. LNG is used in heating, electricity, or other industrial uses.
Chatterjee's agency is reviewing new applications to build LNG terminals in the U.S.
He also noted that while the U.S. has been using tech to excel in the energy sector, it has also opened up the country to greater security threats. "[Our adversaries] are constantly evolving, and we have to evolve to stay one step ahead of them," said Chatterjee.
Within U.S. borders, FERC is charged with overseeing interstate transmission of natural gas, electricity, and oil.
"We at the commission work with stakeholders across the country to ensure that we're incentivizing the right investments so that the grid of the future can be there, a flexible, reliable grid," said Chatterjee.
While the FERC deals with federal energy issues, Chatterjee notes that he is "a firm believer in states' rights," and that the agency has been forced to act when a state enacts energy regulations that have effects beyond its borders, distorting energy markets.
President Donald Trump says he will allow Nvidia to sell its H200 computer chip used in the development of artificial intelligence to “approved customers” in China. Trump said Monday on his social media site that he had informed China’s leader Xi Jinping and “President Xi responded positively!” There had been concerns about allowing advanced computer chips into China as it could help them to compete against the U.S. in building out AI capabilities. But there has also been a desire to develop the AI ecosystem with American companies such as chipmaker Nvidia.
House Republicans in key battleground districts are working to contain the political fallout expected when thousands of their constituents face higher bills for health insurance coverage obtained through the Affordable Care Act. For a critical sliver of the GOP majority, the impending expiration of the enhanced premium tax credits after Dec. 31 could be a major political liability as they potentially face midterm headwinds in a 2026 election critical to President Donald Trump’s agenda. For Democrats, the party’s strategy for capturing the House majority revolves around pinning higher bills for groceries, health insurance and utilities on Republicans.
President Donald Trump says a deal struck by Netflix last week to buy Warner Bros. Discovery “could be a problem” because of the size of the combined market share. The Republican president says he will be involved in the decision about whether federal regulators should approve the deal. Trump commented Sunday when he was asked about the deal as he walked the red carpet at the Kennedy Center Honors. The $72 billion deal would bring together two of the biggest players in television and film and potentially reshape the entertainment industry.
The two-sentence footnote raised serious concerns about accuracy and credibility.
Real estate software company RealPage has agreed to stop sharing nonpublic information between landlords as part of a settlement with the Department of Justice.
A legislative package to end the government shutdown appears on track. A handful of Senate Democrats joined with Republicans to advance the bill after what's become a deepening disruption of federal programs and services. But hurdles remain. Senators are hopeful they can pass the package as soon as Monday and send it to the House. What’s in and out of the bipartisan deal has drawn criticism and leaves few senators fully satisfied. The legislation includes funding for SNAP food aid and other programs while ensuring backpay for furloughed federal workers. But it fails to fund expiring health care subsidies Democrats have been fighting for, pushing that debate off for a vote next month.
