President Trump has appointed David Rosner as chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), elevating the Democratic commissioner to lead the independent energy regulator following Republican Mark Christie’s departure. Rosner, who has served as a FERC commissioner since June 2024, officially assumed the chairman role on Aug. 13. This appointment is temporary, as Trump awaits Senate confirmation of two Republican nominees who would shift the commission to a 3-2 Republican majority.
The appointment comes after Christie’s departure on Aug. 8, which left FERC with just three sitting commissioners for five days—the first time since 1997 that the commission operated without a chair for multiple consecutive days. The five-member commission currently includes Rosner, Republican Lindsay See, and Democrat Judy Chang.
Rosner brings nearly two decades of experience in energy technologies, market design, and policy to the chairmanship. Prior to his commissioner appointment, he served as an energy industry analyst at FERC, where he led efforts on electric transmission rulemakings, energy storage resources, offshore wind integration, fuel security, and natural gas-electric coordination. He also held senior roles at the U.S. Department of Energy and the Bipartisan Policy Center. His term runs through June 30, 2027.
The Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC) has noted Rosner’s bipartisan record, stating that his designation as FERC chairman is backed by a history of consensus-driven policy solutions. “FERC has critical responsibilities in helping ensure a reliable and affordable supply of energy for Americans,” said BPC Executive Vice President David R. Hill. “Chairman Rosner’s strong understanding of the energy challenges facing our country, and demonstrated record of bipartisan work to address those challenges, make him well-suited to carry out the responsibilities of FERC chairman.”
In June 2025, Trump nominated Laura Swett, an energy attorney at Vinson & Elkins, to fill Christie’s seat. Expectations are that she will become chair upon confirmation. Trump also nominated David LaCerte, a White House senior advisor, to fill another vacant position. If both receive Senate approval, Republicans will control the commission 3-2.
Christie’s departure followed Trump’s earlier request for Democratic Chairman Willie Phillips to resign in April 2025, although Phillips’ term was slated to end in June 2026. Phillips’ exit left the commission with a 2-2 partisan split until Rosner’s elevation.
In his final letter as chairman, Christie highlighted a wave of late-term actions, including multiple natural gas project approvals, 24 notices to proceed on LNG and pipeline construction, new hydropower licensing, and court victories defending FERC orders. He also emphasized meetings with state regulators on resource adequacy.
Since January 2025, FERC has advanced a broad agenda with substantial impact for the power sector. On Feb. 20, the regulatory body launched a major review of co-location arrangements between AI-driven data centers and generation facilities in PJM, seeking to clarify rules for nearly 8.5 GW of proposed projects that bypass traditional interconnection. FERC also maintained its landmark transmission planning requirements through Order No. 1920-B, issued April 11, 2025, which clarified key provisions from the original Order No. 1920. The rule requires transmission providers to conduct 20-year forward-looking regional transmission planning cycles every five years, using at least three scenarios to identify long-term transmission needs.
Earlier this summer, on July 24, FERC approved new reliability standards specifically applicable to inverter-based resources (IBRs), like solar and wind facilities. “This is an important step toward ensuring that inverter-based resources support, rather than threaten, the reliability of the Bulk Power System,” said Christie.
FERC also unanimously approved comprehensive revisions to its National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) procedures on June 30, 2025, to accelerate energy infrastructure permitting. The changes remove references to rescinded Council on Environmental Quality regulations and eliminate requirements to consider climate change and environmental justice in environmental assessments. The reforms include authorization for FERC to adopt categorical exclusions from other agencies and allow natural gas companies to submit self-prepared environmental assessments.
On June 18, FERC also issued four orders reducing natural gas infrastructure barriers, including temporarily waiving Order No. 871 through June 30, 2026, and raising cost limits for pipeline modifications without full certificate proceedings.
The regulatory body’s efforts have been soundly centered on growing concerns about grid reliability amid accelerating changes in the power sector. The commission’s May 15, 2025 Summer Assessment warned that grids face