The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has selected Willie Phillips as Commissioner.
Phillips served as chair of the District of Columbia Public Service Commission and previously as assistant general counsel to the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) from 2010 to 2014. He has an extensive background in the areas of public utility regulation, bulk power system reliability, and corporate governance.
“Willie has a distinguished career as an energy lawyer and regulator,” said Jim Robb, NERC president and CEO. “He brings a deep understanding of the reliability challenges facing the transforming electric grid to the Commission. We are very proud that his expertise — including his time at NERC — has been recognized at the national level.”
Phillips has also served on the boards of several organizations, including the board of directors for the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners and the Organization of PJM States. He also has served as president of the Mid-Atlantic Conference of Regulatory Utility Commissioners , and he has held leadership roles on several advisory councils, including the Electric Power Research Institute Advisory Council.
He has a Juris Doctor from Howard University School of Law, and a Bachelor of Science from the University of Montevallo.
FERC assists consumers in obtaining economically efficient, safe, reliable, and secure energy services. The Commission is composed of up to five commissioners who are appointed by the President of the United States with the advice and consent of the Senate. Commissioners serve five-year terms, and have an equal vote on regulatory matters. Phillips joins Chairman Richard Glick, Commissioner James Danly, Commissioner Allison Clements, and Commissioner Mark C. Christie.
