White House names energy attorney Swett to replace FERC’s Christie

If approved, Swett will join FERC as the White House appears to be exerting a growing influence over independent agencies, according to Devin Hartman, director of energy and environmental policy at the R Street Institute, a free market oriented think tank.

“We would expect that this White House will be more involved with FERC decision making than any previous administration,” Hartman said Tuesday. Perhaps the top energy issue for the White House is the rapid approval of oil and gas projects, an area Swett has expertise in, he said.

“The big outstanding question is, how they view the role for FERC in meeting energy demand growth, and if they want FERC to play a role in leading or validating interventions to retain legacy power plants,” Hartman said. “We’re in a critical stage of both FERC direction and the integrity of electricity markets moving forward.”