Democrat Phillips resigns from US energy regulatory panel

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WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Willie Phillips, a Democratic commissioner on the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, resigned on Tuesday, opening the way for President Donald Trump to nominate another member who would give the five-member panel a Republican majority.

The resignation of Phillips, whose term had been set to go through June 30, 2026, allows Trump to nominate a Republican who would likely be easily confirmed by the Republican-controlled Senate.

Trump is focused on maximizing production of oil and gas and opening up pipelines to bring gas from Pennsylvania to the U.S. Northeast. New York politicians have blocked the Constitution Pipeline that would transport gas from Pennsylvania. It is unclear how Trump can work to get the pipeline working.

Politico reported that Phillips, who served as chair under former President Joe Biden, told the outlet that he had already been planning to resign before the White House asked him to step down. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

“We will miss him here at FERC,” Mark Christie, the Republican who Trump named as FERC chair on his first day in office in his second term, said in a press release. “I wish him and his family the very best for future success – and I am confident he will continue to be successful in whatever career path he chooses.”

Phillips said in a statement that the power grid faces growing challenges from surging demand driven by data centers, a lack of new power plant construction and the need for transmission reform.

“These complex issues demand bold, innovative solutions, and I look forward to continuing to work on them in the next chapter of my journey,” Phillips said.

(Reporting by Timothy Gardner; Editing by Alistair Bell)