In ‘unusual’ move, DOE proposes rule to expand FERC’s authority over large loads

The Department of Energy said in a late Thursday release that it is directing the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to initiate rulemaking it has proposed to give FERC jurisdiction over the interconnections of loads larger than 20 MW, to “rapidly accelerate” their addition to the grid.
The rule cites load growth driven by AI and manufacturing, which will require “unprecedented and extraordinary quantities of electricity,” as the reason for an altered approach to large load interconnection.
“This is quite unusual,” said Nick Guidi, a senior attorney with the Southern Environmental Law Center, in an email. “DOE has the power under section 403 of the Department of Energy Organization Act to propose rules to FERC. There’s no obligation for FERC to adopt them, but I believe they have to respond.”

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