The Federal Power Commission (FPC) was an independent commission of the United States government, originally organized on June 23, 1930, with five members nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate. The FPC was originally created in 1920 by the Federal Water Power Act, which provided for the licensing by the FPC of hydroelectric projects on the land or navigable water owned by the federal government. The FPC has since been replaced by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

The FPC also regulated interstate electric utilities and the natural gas industry.

In June 1939, President Roosevelt appointed Leland Olds to the FPC, who served as chairman from January 1940 until 1949. Under Olds’ leadership, the FPC successfully pressured electric utilities to extend power into neglected rural areas and to lower electricity rates to increase use. However his reappointment in 1949 failed in the Senate due to concerns about his suspected previous sympathy to communism.

James G. Watt was another prominent FPC commissioner, who conducted prayer meetings prior to the FPC sessions.

Office of Chairman From its founding in 1920 until its first reform in 1930, the FPC did not have its own commissioners; rather, it was chaired ex officio by the secretaries of war, interior, and agriculture. The first "chairman" in that sense was Woodrow Wilson's secretary of war, Newton D. Baker. Before 1930, five secretaries of war, five secretaries of the interior, and five secretaries of agriculture held title at the FPC.

Following the 1930 reforms, FPC had its own commissioners, with the following commissioners holding the title of Chairman of the Federal Power Commission:

Chairmen

Source: George Otis Smith December 22, 1930 - July 18, 1933 Frank R. McNinch July 19, 1933 - September 30, 1937 Clyde L. Seavey September 30, 1937 - December 31, 1939 Leland Olds January 1, 1940 - June 22, 1944 Basil Manly September 21, 1944 - September 14, 1945 Leland Olds December 14, 1945 - January 1, 1947 Nelson Lee Smith January 1, 1947 - May 24, 1950 Mon C. Wallgren May 24, 1950 - October 1, 1951 Thomas C. Buchanan January 5, 1952 - May 15, 1953 Jerome K. Kuykendall May 15, 1953 - August 31, 1961 Joseph C. Swidler September 1, 1961 - December 30, 1965 Lee C. White March 2, 1966 - July 31, 1969 John N. Nassikas August 1, 1969 - June 22, 1975 Richard L. Dunham October 20, 1975 - August 9, 1977 Charles B. Curtis August 10, 1977 - September 30, 1977 (through renaming to FERC)

Commissioners

Source: James G. Watt November 11, 1975 - August 30, 1977 Richard L. Dunham October 20, 1975 - August 9, 1977 John H. Holloman September 3, 1975 - August 4, 1977 Don S. Smith December 13, 1973 - June 30, 1979 William L. Springer June 14, 1973 - December 1, 1975 Rush Moody Jr. November 19, 1971 - March 15, 1975 Pinkney Walker May 26, 1971 - December 31, 1972 John N. Nassikas August 1, 1969 - October 20, 1975 Albert Buch Brooke Jr. October 16, 1968 - March 31, 1975 John A. Carver Jr. September 13, 1966 - June 15, 1972 Lee C. White March 2, 1966 - July 31, 1969 Carl E. Bagge May 27, 1965 - December 31, 1970 David S. Black August 30, 1963 - September 13, 1966 Harold C. Woodward March 30, 1962 - August 4, 1964 Charles R. Ross September 29, 1961 - September 25, 1968 Lawrence J. O’Connor Jr. August 14, 1961 - August 30, 1971 Joseph C. Swidler June 28, 1961 - December 30, 1965 Howard Morgan June 28, 1961 - June 22, 1963 Paul A. Sweeney July 15, 1960 - April 15, 1961 John B. Hussey June 23, 1958 - March 17, 1960 Arthur Kline June 23, 1956 - August 13, 1961 Wiliam R. Connole June 23, 1955 - June 22, 1958 Fredrick Stueck July 9, 1954 - July 15, 1961 Seaborn L. Digby August 17, 1953 - June 22, 1958 Jerome K. Kuykendall May 15, 1953 - August 31, 1961 Dale E. Doty May 22, 1952 - June 22, 1954 Mon C. Wallgren November 2, 1949 - October 1, 1951 Thomas C. Buchanan June 14, 1948 - May 15, 1953 Richard Sachse November 1, 1945 - June 22, 1947 Harrington Wimberly October 5, 1945 - June 22, 1958 Nelson Lee Smith October 26, 1943 - June 22, 1956 Leland Olds July 7, 1939 - June 22, 1944 John W. Scott June 24, 1937 - June 15, 1945 Clyde L. Seavey August 13, 1934 - August 5, 1943 Basil Manly June 24, 1933 - October 1, 1945 Herbert J. Drane June 16, 1933 - June 22, 1937 Ralph B. Williamson December 31, 1930 - December 10, 1932 Frank R. McNinch December 27, 1930 - June 22, 1934 George Otis Smith December 22, 1930 - October 31, 1933 Claude L. Draper December 22, 1930 - June 22, 1956 Marcell Garsaud December 22, 1930 - June 22, 1932

Relevant laws 46 Stat. 797 41 Stat. 1063 16 United States Code 791-823, the Federal Water Power Act

Dissolution

On October 1, 1977, the FPC was replaced by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.42 U.S.C. § 7172.

See also Scenic Hudson Preservation Conference v. Federal Power Commission

References