Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) plans to offer an amendment to the Senate energy bill that would establish a consumer advocate office within the Department of Justice (DOJ) to represent the interests of natural gas and electricity consumers at the federal level, a spokeswoman for the senator said.

The proposed independent DOJ office would operate in much the same way as consumer advocate offices at the state level, which seek to shield customers from unreasonable retail energy rates. The DOJ office, however, would monitor wholesale energy markets. Wyden first proposed the creation of the office in a letter to FERC Chairman Pat Wood in December.

In a related move, Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-OR) is expected to introduce stand-alone, companion legislation in the House Thursday.

The high energy prices in California and the Pacific Northwest last year, as well as the financial collapse and scandal that has enveloped Enron Corp., were cited as the reasons for creating the office.

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