COMPETE Congratulates Wellinghoff on Being Named Acting FERC Chairman

Washington, D.C. - Today President Barack Obama named Jon Wellinghoff Acting Chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).  William Massey, a former FERC Commissioner and counsel to the COMPETE Coalition, issued the following statement congratulating the new chairman:

"The COMPETE Coalition congratulates Jon Wellinghoff on being named FERC Chairman.  With this appointment and others, the Obama administration has shown it will hit the ground running on pressing energy policy issues and climate change.  Jon Wellinghoff understands the benefits competitive electricity markets provide in fostering efficiency, such as improved plant performance so we get more electricity with fewer emissions, and innovation, such as the fertile ground markets provide for demand response and sustainable wind energy.  We look forward to FERC under his leadership maintaining the bipartisan competition policies that have guided the commission for the past three decades."