In March the federal government’s two main independent energy regulatory agencies, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), requested increases in their budget for fiscal year (FY) 2015.

FERC requested $3.273 million in FY 2015, a 7.4 percent increase over the FY 2014 appropriation. FERC cited office consolidation and the need for increased data and technologies capabilities to effectively monitor energy and utilities markets as justifications for the increase. The request also includes funding for applications processing for natural gas pipelines, liquefied natural gas export facilities and hydropower projects, and increased cyber and energy infrastructure needs. FERC recovers the full cost of its operations through annual charges and filing fees assessed on the industries it regulates. The Commission deposits this revenue into the

Treasury as a direct offset to its appropriation, resulting in no net appropriation.

NRC requested $1.060 billion in FY 2015, a 0.4 percent increase over the FY 2014 appropriation. NRC’s budget focuses on lessons learned from the 2011 Fukushima disaster and enhancing mitigation strategies, including seismic and flooding reevaluations and reviewing safety methods. The request includes funding for expenses involved in the decommissioning of power plants in Crystal River, FL, and San Diego County, CA, increasing cyber security of reactors, and creation of strategies for disposal of spent nuclear fuel and high level waste. 

Sources: E&E News; Federal Energy Regulatory Commission; Government Printing Office; Nuclear Regulatory Commission