Report: Energy regulator to step down

John Norris, one of five members of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), will announce this week that he plans to resign, SNL Financial reported.

Norris was first appointed to FERC in 2010 by President Obama to fill a seat that had been vacated. In 2012, he was confirmed for a full term through 2017 at the agency that regulates wholesale electricity and other energy markets.

{mosads}He was passed over twice for the chairmanship of the commission, SNL said. He said in June that he would not likely seek another term when his expires in 2017.

Laura Vendetta, a spokeswoman for Norris, declined to comment to The Hill about the report.

President Obama will nominate Colette Honorable, chairwoman of the Arkansas Public Service Commission, to replace Norris, SNL reported. Honorable is also president of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissions, which represents state energy regulators.

Honorable also declined to comment on SNL’s report.