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 A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...

. The FPC was originally created in 1920 by the

Federal Water Power Act The Federal Power Act is a law appearing in Chapter 12 of Title 16 of the United States Code, entitled "Federal Regulation and Development of Power". Enacted as the Federal Water Power Act on June 10, 1920, and amended many times since, its origin ...

, which provided for the licensing by the FPC of

hydroelectric Hydroelectricity, or hydroelectric power, is electricity generated from hydropower (water power). Hydropower supplies one sixth of the world's electricity, almost 4500 TWh in 2020, which is more than all other renewable sources combined and ...

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 The FPC has since been replaced by the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 Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) is the United States federal agency that regulates the transmission and wholesale sale of electricity and natural gas in interstate commerce and regulates the transportation of oil by pipeline in ...

. The FPC also regulated interstate electric utilities and the natural gas industry. In June 1939, President Roosevelt appointed

Leland Olds Leland Olds (December 31, 1890 – August 5, 1960) was an American economist interested in labor, development of public electric power, and ecology. Education Olds was a son of George Olds, president of Amherst College. He studied mathematics ...

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. Olds' insistence on enforcing the

Natural Gas Act of 1938 The Natural Gas Act of 1938 was the first occurrence of the United States federal government regulating the natural gas industry. It was focused on regulating the rates charged by interstate natural gas transmission companies. In the years prior t ...

raised the ire of the oil industry in Texas and led to the end of his tenure at the FPC. Robert Caro's book ''

Master of the Senate ''The Years of Lyndon Johnson'' is a biography of Lyndon B. Johnson by the American writer Robert Caro. Four volumes have been published, running to more than 3,000 pages in total, detailing Johnson's early life, education, and political career. ...

'' describes how Lyndon B. Johnson defeated Olds' re-appointment by orchestrating a smear campaign. The tactics involved having the staff of the

House Un-American Activities Committee The House Committee on Un-American Activities (HCUA), popularly dubbed the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC), was an investigative committee of the United States House of Representatives, created in 1938 to investigate alleged disloy ...

dig up old writings, which were then taken out of context to create a false image of Olds as a

communist Communism (from Latin la, communis, lit=common, universal, label=none) is a far-left sociopolitical, philosophical, and economic ideology and current within the socialist movement whose goal is the establishment of a communist society, a s ...

. The subcommittee in charge of reappointment was stacked against Leland and coached by Johnson.

James G. Watt James Gaius Watt (born January 31, 1938) is a public servant who served as U.S. Secretary of the Interior from 1981 to 1983. He has been described as "anti-environmentalist", and was one of Ronald Reagan's most controversial cabinet appointment ...

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

Chairmen

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 An ''ex officio'' member is a member of a body (notably a board, committee, council) who is part of it by virtue of holding another office. The term '' ex officio'' is Latin, meaning literally 'from the office', and the sense intended is 'by right ...

by the Secretaries of War,

Interior Interior may refer to: Arts and media * ''Interior'' (Degas) (also known as ''The Rape''), painting by Edgar Degas * ''Interior'' (play), 1895 play by Belgian playwright Maurice Maeterlinck * ''The Interior'' (novel), by Lisa See * Interior de ...

, and Agriculture. The first "Chairman" in that sense was Woodrow Wilson's Secretary of War,

Newton D. Baker Newton Diehl Baker Jr. (December 3, 1871 – December 25, 1937) was an American lawyer, Georgist,Noble, Ransom E. "Henry George and the Progressive Movement." The American Journal of Economics and Sociology, vol. 8, no. 3, 1949, pp. 259–269. w ...

. 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:

Past Chairmen

* George Otis Smith December 22, 1930 - July 18, 1933 *

Frank R. McNinch Frank Ramsay McNinch (April 27, 1873 – April 2, 1950) was born in Charlotte, North Carolina. He was a political figure who served as the mayor of Charlotte, as chairman of the Federal Power Commission, and as chairman of the Federal Communicati ...

July 19, 1933 - September 30, 1937 *

Clyde L. Seavey Clyde may refer to: People * Clyde (given name) * Clyde (surname) Places For townships see also Clyde Township Australia * Clyde, New South Wales * Clyde, Victoria * Clyde River, New South Wales Canada * Clyde, Alberta * Clyde, Ontario, a t ...

September 30, 1937 - December 31, 1939 *

January 1, 1940 - June 22, 1944 *

Basil Manly Basil Manly Sr. (January 28, 1798 – December 21, 1868) was an American planter, preacher and chaplain best known as the author of the Alabama Resolutions, which formed part of the argument for creation of the Southern Baptist Convention on pr ...

September 21, 1944 - September 14, 1945 *

December 14, 1945 - January 1, 1947 *

Nelson Lee Smith Nelson may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Nelson'' (1918 film), a historical film directed by Maurice Elvey * ''Nelson'' (1926 film), a historical film directed by Walter Summers * ''Nelson'' (opera), an opera by Lennox Berkeley to a lib ...

January 1, 1947 - May 24, 1950 *

Mon C. Wallgren Monrad Charles Wallgren (April 17, 1891September 18, 1961) was an American politician who served as the 13th governor of Washington from 1945 to 1949, as well as representing that state in the United States House of Representatives and the Unit ...

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 Lee Calvin White (September 1, 1923 – October 31, 2013) was an advisor to both President Kennedy and Johnson, most notably on civil rights matters. Early life and education White studied electrical engineering at the University of Nebraska grad ...

March 2, 1966 - July 31, 1969 *

John N. Nassikas John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Seco ...

August 1, 1969 - June 22, 1975 * Richard L. Dunham October 20, 1975 - August 9, 1977 *

Charles B. Curtis Charles B. Curtis (born April 27, 1940) is an American lawyer, currently senior advisor (nonresident) to the Center for Strategic and International Studies, vice chair of the United States Department of State's International Security Advisory B ...

August 10, 1977 - September 30, 1977 (through renaming to FERC)

Past Commissioners

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 Don, don or DON and variants may refer to: Places *County Donegal, Ireland, Chapman code DON * Don (river), a river in European Russia *Don River (disambiguation), several other rivers with the name *Don, Benin, a town in Benin * Don, Dang, a vi ...

December 13, 1973 - June 30, 1979 *

William L. Springer William Lee Springer (April 12, 1909 – September 20, 1992) was a United States House of Representatives, U.S. Representative from Illinois. Born in Sullivan, Indiana, Springer attended the public schools and Sullivan and Culver Military Acad ...

June 14, 1973 - December 1, 1975 *

Rush Moody Jr. Rush(es) may refer to: Places United States * Rush, Colorado * Rush, Kentucky * Rush, New York * Rush City, Minnesota * Rush Creek (Kishwaukee River tributary), Illinois * Rush Creek (Marin County, California), a stream * Rush Creek (Mono Co ...

November 19, 1971 - March 15, 1975 *

Pinkney Walker Pinkney H. Walker (June 18, 1815 – February 7, 1885) was an American jurist. Born in Adair County, Kentucky, Walker moved to Rushville, Illinois where he worked in a general store as a clerk. He studied law and was admitted to the Illinois ...

May 26, 1971 - December 31, 1972 *

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 *

March 2, 1966 - July 31, 1969 * Carl E. Bagge May 27, 1965 - December 31, 1970 *

David S. Black David (; , "beloved one") (traditional spelling), , ''Dāwūd''; grc-koi, Δαυΐδ, Dauíd; la, Davidus, David; gez , ዳዊት, ''Dawit''; xcl, Դաւիթ, ''Dawitʿ''; cu, Давíдъ, ''Davidŭ''; possibly meaning "beloved one". w ...

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 Fredrick may refer to: * Fredrick (given name), a given name * Fredrick (surname), a surname * ''Fredrick'' (2016 film) See also * Frederick (disambiguation) * Fredricks Fredricks is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Ch ...

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 *

November 2, 1949 - October 1, 1951 * Thomas C. Buchanan June 14, 1948 - May 15, 1953 *

Richard Sachse Richard is a male given name. It originates, via Old French, from Old Frankish and is a compound of the words descending from Proto-Germanic ''*rīk-'' 'ruler, leader, king' and ''*hardu-'' 'strong, brave, hardy', and it therefore means 'stron ...

November 1, 1945 - June 22, 1947 *

Harrington Wimberly Harrington (or Harington) may refer to: People as a surname * Harrington (surname) People as a forename * Arthur Raikes (Arthur Edward Harington Raikes, 1867–1915), British army officer *Charles Harrington Elster, American writer *Edward Josep ...

October 5, 1945 - June 22, 1958 *

October 26, 1943 - June 22, 1956 *

July 7, 1939 - June 22, 1944 * John W. Scott June 24, 1937 - June 15, 1945 *

August 13, 1934 - August 5, 1943 *

June 24, 1933 - October 1, 1945 *

Herbert J. Drane Herbert Jackson Drane (June 20, 1863 – August 11, 1947) was a U.S. Representative from Florida. Born in Franklin, Kentucky, Drane attended the public schools of Louisville, Kentucky, and Brevards Academy at Franklin, Kentucky. He moved to ...

June 16, 1933 - June 22, 1937 *

Ralph B. Williamson Ralph (pronounced ; or ,) is a male given name of English, Scottish and Irish origin, derived from the Old English ''Rædwulf'' and Radulf, cognate with the Old Norse ''Raðulfr'' (''rað'' "counsel" and ''ulfr'' "wolf"). The most common forms ...

December 31, 1930 - December 10, 1932 *

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 Marcell may refer to: * Joseph Marcell, an actor from St. Lucia * Marcell, Minnesota, an unincorporated town * Marcell Township, Minnesota See also * Marcel (disambiguation) Marcel may refer to: People * Marcel (given name), people with the ...

December 22, 1930 - June 22, 1932

Relevant laws

*46 Stat. 797 *41 Stat. 1063 *16

United States Code In the law of the United States, the Code of Laws of the United States of America (variously abbreviated to Code of Laws of the United States, United States Code, U.S. Code, U.S.C., or USC) is the official compilation and codification of the ...

791-823, the Federal Water Power Act

Dissolution

On October 1, 1977, the FPC was replaced by the

.42 U.S.C. § 7172.

References

{{Authority control Organizations established in 1920 Organizations disestablished in 1972