PSC’s Honorable Has First Senate Confirmation Hearing

Arkansas Public Service Commission chairwoman Colette Honorable testified before the Senate Energy Committee on Thursday, and by all accounts, is expected to sail through her full Senate confirmation hearing to be appointed to the powerful Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

The timing of that confirmation will be the bigger question.

On Thursday, Honorable appeared before the Senate panel, which was chaired by Senator Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, who led the hearing while normal Chairwoman Senator Mary Landrieu, D-Louisiana, campaigns for her re-election bid this Saturday. Wyden said he hoped Honorable could be confirmed by the full Senate by year-end.

Some key moments from Honorable’s hearing included her fielding questions about FERC overreach, power grid security and reliability, and changes occurring in the transmission arena.

Honorable, who has spent seven years at the PSC including three years as chairwoman, is also the President of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners.

She was nominated to serve on the five-member FERC board by President Obama in August 2014.

By most accounts, Honorable’s nomination is considered “non-controversial.” That suggestion was on display Thursday as she received bipartisan support from both of Arkansas’ current senators, Democratic Senator Mark Pryor and Republican Senator John Boozman.

“There is no one more qualified for this position than Colette Honorable. Colette is honest and fair, listens to all sides of an issue, and carefully weighs all of the evidence before rendering a decision. She works harder than anyone I know to make sure regulations are done right. Her integrity is unquestionable. As a FERC Commissioner, these qualities will serve our nation well as demand for efficient, reliable and affordable energy services continues to rise,” Pryor said. “I will continue to work hard to move her nomination forward over the next few weeks.”

“Chairman Honorable has served on Arkansas’s Public Service Commission for over seven years. During that time she has earned the deep respect of Arkansans,” Boozman said. “The reason that I am comfortable endorsing her is that whether or not we agree on every issue, I believe that Colette is dedicated to the principles of fairness and the rule of law – principles that will continue to guide her. She has a reputation as a straight-shooter and an independent regulator.”

Honorable also earned accolades from Sen. Wyden and Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski, the ranking Republican on the energy committee, who both said they would support her nomination.