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| Jon Wellinghoff | |
|---|---|
| Name | Jon Wellinghoff |
| Birth date | 1949 |
| Birth place | Reno, Nevada, United States |
| Occupation | Attorney, regulator, energy consultant |
| Known for | Chair of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission |
Jon Wellinghoff
Jon Wellinghoff is an American attorney, regulator, and energy policy advocate who served as Chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. He has been active in electricity regulation, renewable energy, smart grid development, energy storage policy, and distributed generation advocacy. Wellinghoff has worked with federal agencies, state utilities, national laboratories, and private firms to advance renewable portfolio standards, demand response markets, and grid modernization initiatives.
Wellinghoff was born in Reno, Nevada, and attended public schools in Washoe County, Nevada before pursuing higher education. He earned a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Nevada, Reno and a Juris Doctor from the University of Montana School of Law. During his academic years he was influenced by legal and environmental developments tied to the National Environmental Policy Act, Clean Air Act, and regulatory cases involving the Nevada State Legislature and regional utilities such as Nevada Power Company and Sierra Pacific Power Company.
Wellinghoff began his career as a lawyer focusing on energy and public utilities matters, representing clients before bodies like the Nevada Public Utilities Commission and federal agencies including the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and the Department of Energy. He served as Chief Counsel to Nevada Governor Richard Bryan and worked with state attorneys and regulators across the Western Interstate Energy Board, the Northwest Power and Conservation Council, and the Western Electricity Coordinating Council. His legal practice engaged with major industry players such as Pacific Gas and Electric Company, Southern California Edison, Exelon, Duke Energy, and American Electric Power. Wellinghoff also interacted with environmental groups like the Sierra Club, Natural Resources Defense Council, and Environmental Defense Fund in litigation and regulatory negotiations involving hydroelectric relicensing, renewable energy procurement, and transmission siting. He argued matters related to the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 and Energy Policy Act of 1992 before courts and commissions.
Nominated by President Barack Obama, Wellinghoff served as Commissioner and then Acting Chairman of FERC, where he presided over regulatory matters involving wholesale electricity markets, transmission planning, and interconnection standards. At FERC he led proceedings on demand response compensation, approving orders that affected entities such as the Independent System Operators and Regional Transmission Organizations including PJM Interconnection, Midcontinent Independent System Operator, California ISO, and the New York ISO. His tenure addressed integration of variable renewable energy sources like wind power and solar power into bulk power systems, and he collaborated with national research institutions such as Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. Wellinghoff advocated policies for energy storage technologies, advanced metering infrastructure promoted by Edison Electric Institute and American Public Power Association, and cybersecurity coordination with the Department of Homeland Security and North American Electric Reliability Corporation. He participated in high-level policy dialogues with leaders from Department of Energy Secretaries, Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, and House Energy and Commerce Committee members.
After leaving FERC, Wellinghoff joined academic, private sector, and advocacy organizations to promote grid innovation and distributed energy resources. He has worked with the Electric Power Research Institute, Sunrun, Tesla, Inc., and consultancies advising utilities such as Pacific Gas and Electric Company and municipal systems like Los Angeles Department of Water and Power. He collaborated with research partners including Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford University, and Harvard Kennedy School on policy frameworks for microgrids, vehicle-to-grid integration, and regulatory reform. Wellinghoff has served on advisory boards for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission successors, participated in initiatives with U.S. Department of Energy programs, and engaged with international bodies including the International Energy Agency and International Renewable Energy Agency.
Wellinghoff has authored articles and provided expert testimony before legislative bodies and regulatory hearings, submitting testimony to the United States Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, United States House Committee on Energy and Commerce, and state legislatures in California, New York, and Nevada. His publications and presentations appeared in venues associated with The Electricity Journal, Harvard Business Review forums, and conference proceedings of IEEE and Gridwise Alliance events. He testified on matters involving smart grid standards, interconnection reform, demand response valuation, and cybersecurity for critical infrastructure, engaging with senators, representatives, utility CEOs, and laboratory directors.
Wellinghoff has been recognized by professional and industry organizations for his contributions to energy policy, receiving acknowledgments from the American Bar Association energy committees, the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners affiliates, and environmental groups such as the Sierra Club for renewable advocacy. He has been cited in rankings and awards by trade publications like Utility Dive, Greentech Media, and Energy Storage Association honors. Academic institutions including the University of Nevada, Reno have acknowledged his public service and contributions to regional energy policy.
Category:American attorneys Category:Federal Energy Regulatory Commission