Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) said last week he 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.

The proposed independent DOJ office would operate in much the same way as consumer advocate offices at the state level, except that it would monitor wholesale energy markets. Wyden first proposed the creation of the office in a letter to FERC Chairman Pat Wood in December.

“In the era of the Enron collapse and heightened calls for energy deregulation, it is critical to have an independent watchdog keeping an eye on consumer interests at the federal level,” he said. “It is no longer acceptable to pretend that FERC’s oversight of wholesale markets has no impact on retail consumers,” noted Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-OR), who introduced a companion bill in the House last week.

As envisioned by the two lawmakers, a federal consumer advocate would represent consumers at FERC, in judicial proceedings, and at other federal agencies; investigate the rates and services of electric utilities and gas suppliers; provide information, consultation and technical assistance to FERC on behalf of energy consumers; petition the Federal Trade Commission or regional transmission organizations to take action to protect the interests of consumers; and propose legislation and testify before Congress on behalf of energy consumers.

DeFazio (D-OR) said last Thursday that he plans to attach his consumer-advocate bill to any energy legislation that reaches the House floor.

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

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