Since taking over at FERC last month, Chairman Curt L. HebertJr. has presided over two regular Commission meetings with agendason the light side. But he promises activity will pick up soon.

“…[W]e kind of had a period in there where [we] had threechairmen in three days. So I think when you do that you kind of getthings slowed down, especially at the staff level,” Hebert saidyesterday. “I don’t think the next [meeting is] going to be aslight” as the last two have been.

The fact that the Commission is operating half empty — twoFERC seats are vacant — hasn’t helped matters any. “Everything Ihear from the White House is that they are going to act quickly” toappoint new Commissioners, Hebert said, but he couldn’t predictwhen that would be.

Hebert made the remarks at an impromptu press conference withreporters following Wednesday’s Commission meeting during which hewas questioned repeatedly about short-term fixes for the Californiapower crisis.

He re-stated his unshakable opposition to price caps in thewestern region, saying they would only result in “long-term damage”to the power market there. “I continue to stand by what I’ve said— that we need to move away from them” and towards hopefully “amarket that works.”

Hebert rejected the notion of caps as a temporary fix. “Theproblem is…that the temporary nature of caps is something that isforeign to this agency. We’ve yet to see a price cap that, in fact,we made temporary. Every price cap that’s ever been instituted hasbeen appealed” at FERC.

Nor does he favor a return to cost-based ratemaking. “Thisindustry is becoming an industry that needs certain and quickfacilitation. The fact that when I came here (to FERC) there wererate cases that were started when I was in grade school is notsomething this industry needs right now.”

Aside from price caps, “I think there are lots of short-termremedies” that could work in California and other western states,he told reporters. One option, he cited, is to “look atopportunities to bring in some generators…on the barges,” as wasdiscussed last week at the western energy summit in Portland, OR.

Hebert noted he was invited to be on the White House task forcethat was set up to address the worsening energy picture inCalifornia and elsewhere in the nation, but he turned it downbecause of a potential conflict of interest. He said he felt itwould jeopardize the “integrity” of the Commission as a”quasi-judicial entity.”

Hebert said he agreed with Senate Republicans, who plan topropose a wide-ranging energy bill next week, and task forcemembers that the certification process for pipelines needs to befurther streamlined.

“I don’t think there’s any question that we have to do that. Wehave to expedite everything that we can on the supply and on theinfrastructure side so that we can deliver that supply,” he noted,but that doesn’t mean FERC won’t be “sympathetic” to environmentaland landowner concerns.

Hebert said the Commission is working with the pipeline industryto compile a list of FERC actions that have been “positive” forpipeline construction, and those that have slowed it down. FERCwants to “listen and learn before we lead” in this area.

He sees himself staying at the Commission for another three or 3« years. “I think this is probably my last government job…My idea[has] always been to be back out by the time I’m 40 or 41. I’mgetting close to that now.” Beyond the Commission, “I don’t seemyself in politics” either at the federal level or in his homestate of Mississippi.

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