FPL fills new position with ex-federal official
At a crucial time for the nation’s power companies, as they face the potential for massive changes from proposed legislation to battle climate change, FPL Group announced Thursday it has hired the former chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Joseph T. Kelliher, for the newly created position of executive vice president of federal regulatory affairs.
FERC is the nation’s top regulatory body dealing with the nation’s utilities about matters such as reliability. Kelliher served at FERC for more than five years, including three years as chairman. He will report directly to FPL Group Chief Executive Lewis Hay III. The company, parent of the Florida Power & Light utility, did not reveal details of his compensation package.
In a prepared statement, Hay said: “Federal regulatory issues are increasingly complex and affect the company in new ways as we have grown to encompass energy operations in 27 states. As America’s most forward-looking energy company, we feel an obligation to provide leadership and a strong point of view to the shaping of federal energy policy while also demonstrating our commitment to compliance and strong governance.”