U.S. Energy Law: Electricity
The focus of this guide is the federal regulation of electricity.
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Current Regulations
- Code of Federal Regulations (C.F.R.), Title 18, Conservation of Power and Water Resources
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The Code of Federal Regulations (C.F.R.), which is printed once a year, is the codification of the general and permanent rules published in the Federal Register by federal executive departments and agencies. It contains all federal regulations currently in force and is organized into 50 numbered titles that represent broad areas of federal regulation. - Federal Register (Fed. Reg.)
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The Federal Register (Fed. Reg.) is the official publication for notifying the public of proposed regulations, temporary and final regulations, notices of federal agencies, presidential executive orders and other presidential documents, and other documents required to be published by law. It is published Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays, by the Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration. - Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Rules of Practice and Procedure (18 C.F.R. Part 385)
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Regulatory History
- Federal Register (Fed. Reg.)
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Summaries of comments submitted by public relating to a regulation may be found in the "preamble/supplementary" sections of proposed and final regulations. - Regulations.gov
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FERC is a non-participating agency on the federal government's rulemaking docket system. This means that FERC publishes Federal Register documents on Regulations.gov but does not participate in the eRulemaking program. Therefore, dockets, public comments and additional supporting documentation are not posted on Regulations.gov. For documents relating to a FERC docket, use FERC's eLibrary records system. - FERC eLibrary
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This database contains documents submitted to and issued by FERC since 1981, including Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) issuances.
Policy/Guidance
- Policy Statements
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Policy Statements provide guidance regarding statutes, orders, rules, and regulations that FERC administers. They typically discuss the factors that the Commission will use to evaluate future proceedings and can be found in the "Federal Register." - No-Action Letters
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Through the No-Action Letter (NAL) process established by FERC order on November 18, 2005, persons may obtain written advice as to whether staff would recommend that FERC take no enforcement action with respect to specific proposed transactions, practices, or situations. - Accounting Interpretations
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FERC and its Chief Accountant provide guidance to, and respond to inquiries from, regulated entities on the implementation of standards issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board and existing or emerging industry-wide or entity specific accounting issues within the context of the Uniform System of Accounts.
U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) Reports
GAO investigates how the federal government spends taxpayer dollars and reports on how well government programs and policies are meeting their objectives.
- GAO Reports
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Selected GAO Reports:
- Utility-Scale Energy Storage: Technologies and Challenges for an Evolving Grid (GAO-23-10558)
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- Power Marketing Administrations: Additional Steps Are Needed to Better Manage Climate-Related Risks (GAO-23-106224)
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Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs)
MOUs are agreements between FERC and other state, federal or international agencies to assist or share experiences.
"A MOU usually describes, in broad general terms, an area of mutual interest or concern that may be addressed cooperatively by two or more agencies or entities. MOUs generally do not include specific information regarding detailed scope of work or the exchange of funds or human resources. An MOU may address cooperation that ranges from a single State to activities at multi-State, regional, multi-regional, national, or international levels."
[Source: U.S. Geological Survey 
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- U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission: MOUs
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Related Guides
- Federal Regulations
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(GW Law Library) - Bluebook and Citation Resources
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(GW Law Library) - Energy Law Journal Style Manual (Rev. 01-2023)
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(Energy Bar Association)