Wood, Pat

<div><p style="margin: 4px 6px 4px 10px; padding: 3px; font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.800000190734863px;">In February 1995, Governor Bush appointed Patrick Henry Wood, III to the three-member Public Utility Commission of Texas to regulate the state’s telecommunications and electric power industries. Wood served as Chairman of the Commission at the pleasure of the Governor. His term ended on August 31, 2001.</p><p style="margin: 4px 6px 4px 10px; padding: 3px; font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.800000190734863px;">A native of Port Arthur, Texas, Wood received a B.S. in Civil Engineering from Texas A&M University and a J.D. from Harvard Law School. He has worked as an engineer with Arco Indonesia and as an attorney with the Baker & Botts law firm in Washington, DC. Wood also served as legal advisor to a member of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and as legal counsel to the Chairman of the Texas Railroad Commission.</p></div><div>
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</div><div>sfgate</div><div><p style="margin: 0px 0px 13px; padding: 0px; border: 0px none; font-size: 16px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none 0px; line-height: 19.200000762939453px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><strong style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">2001-06-18 04:00:00 PDT Washington</strong>-- If federal regulators, as expected, overcome their ideological reservations and enact new energy price controls for California today, the agent of change might be a 39-year-old Texan with the grandly patriotic name of <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/?controllerName=search&action=search&channel=politics&search=1&inlineLink=1&query=%22Patrick+Henry+Wood+III%22" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(1, 86, 96); text-decoration: none;">Patrick Henry Wood III</a>.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 13px; padding: 0px; border: 0px none; font-size: 16px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none 0px; line-height: 19.200000762939453px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">It's not just that <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/?controllerName=search&action=search&channel=politics&search=1&inlineLink=1&query=%22Pat+Wood%22" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(1, 86, 96); text-decoration: none;">Pat Wood</a> is a hyperachiever -- high school class valedictorian in the oil town of Port Arthur, Texas; civil engineering degree from Texas A&M ; class president at Harvard Law School.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 13px; padding: 0px; border: 0px none; font-size: 16px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none 0px; line-height: 19.200000762939453px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">It's not even that Wood is close to President Bush, having been appointed by him to the<a href="http://www.sfgate.com/?controllerName=search&action=search&channel=politics&search=1&inlineLink=1&query=%22Texas+Public+Utilities+Commission%22" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(1, 86, 96); text-decoration: none;">Texas Public Utilities Commission</a> in 1995, when Bush was governor.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 13px; padding: 0px; border: 0px none; font-size: 16px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none 0px; line-height: 19.200000762939453px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">It's more that Wood, a Bush appointee to the five-member <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/?controllerName=search&action=search&channel=politics&search=1&inlineLink=1&query=%22Federal+Energy+Regulatory+Commission%22" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(1, 86, 96); text-decoration: none;">Federal Energy Regulatory Commission</a>, brings a regulator's mentality and a consensus builder's ability to his new job, say those who know him.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 13px; padding: 0px; border: 0px none; font-size: 16px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none 0px; line-height: 19.200000762939453px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">"He realizes that the job of a regulator in the current environment is to address market imbalances," said <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/?controllerName=search&action=search&channel=politics&search=1&inlineLink=1&query=%22Janee+Briesemeister%22" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(1, 86, 96); text-decoration: none;">Janee Briesemeister</a>, a senior policy analyst at the <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/?controllerName=search&action=search&channel=politics&search=1&inlineLink=1&query=%22Consumer+Union%22" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(1, 86, 96); text-decoration: none;">Consumer Union</a>'s office in the Texas state capital of Austin, where she jousted with Wood for the past few years.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 13px; padding: 0px; border: 0px none; font-size: 16px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none 0px; line-height: 19.200000762939453px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Bush appointed Wood to FERC in April, and the Senate confirmed him late last month. The commission, once a backwater, is now the focus of national attention as it wrestles with California's energy mess.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 13px; padding: 0px; border: 0px none; font-size: 16px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none 0px; line-height: 19.200000762939453px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" /><h3 style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px none; font-size: 16px; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none 0px; line-height: 19.200000762939453px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">EXPECTED TO TAKE OVER</h3><p style="margin: 0px 0px 13px; padding: 0px; border: 0px none; font-size: 16px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none 0px; line-height: 19.200000762939453px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">It is widely speculated that at some point Wood will replace <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/?controllerName=search&action=search&channel=politics&search=1&inlineLink=1&query=%22Curt+Hebert%22" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(1, 86, 96); text-decoration: none;">Curt Hebert</a> Jr.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 13px; padding: 0px; border: 0px none; font-size: 16px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none 0px; line-height: 19.200000762939453px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">as FERC chairman. Hebert, also a Republican, was appointed by former President <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/?controllerName=search&action=search&channel=politics&search=1&inlineLink=1&query=%22Bill+Clinton%22" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(1, 86, 96); text-decoration: none;">Bill Clinton</a> and is close to Senate Minority Leader <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/?controllerName=search&action=search&channel=politics&search=1&inlineLink=1&query=%22Trent+Lott%22" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(1, 86, 96); text-decoration: none;">Trent Lott</a>, a Republican from Mississippi.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 13px; padding: 0px; border: 0px none; font-size: 16px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none 0px; line-height: 19.200000762939453px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">FERC's current price regulations for California have been attacked on Capitol Hill and by Gov. <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/?controllerName=search&action=search&channel=politics&search=1&inlineLink=1&query=%22Gray+Davis%22" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(1, 86, 96); text-decoration: none;">Gray Davis</a> as inadequate because they apply only during the worst power shortages. The prospective rule, to be considered at a special meeting today, would extend the regulations to all of the time and in every Western state.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 13px; padding: 0px; border: 0px none; font-size: 16px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none 0px; line-height: 19.200000762939453px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Since his appointment, Wood has spoken to Davis and key <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/?controllerName=search&action=search&channel=politics&search=1&inlineLink=1&query=%22Democrats%22" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(1, 86, 96); text-decoration: none;">Democrats</a> such as California Sen. <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/?controllerName=search&action=search&channel=politics&search=1&inlineLink=1&query=%22Dianne+Feinstein%22" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(1, 86, 96); text-decoration: none;">Dianne Feinstein</a>. Feinstein spokesman <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/?controllerName=search&action=search&channel=politics&search=1&inlineLink=1&query=%22Jim+Hock%22" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(1, 86, 96); text-decoration: none;">Jim Hock</a> said the senator doesn't think today's anticipated action is enough, but she believes Wood has helped ease the Bush administration's opposition to price controls.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 13px; padding: 0px; border: 0px none; font-size: 16px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none 0px; line-height: 19.200000762939453px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">"She's hopeful that Wood will move FERC to act, more so than Hebert. The political pressure is starting to get to them," Hock said.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 13px; padding: 0px; border: 0px none; font-size: 16px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none 0px; line-height: 19.200000762939453px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Davis' energy czar <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/?controllerName=search&action=search&channel=politics&search=1&inlineLink=1&query=%22S.+David+Freeman%22" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(1, 86, 96); text-decoration: none;">S. David Freeman</a> told reporters last week that he, too, believes Wood will push FERC to toughen rules and help California.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 13px; padding: 0px; border: 0px none; font-size: 16px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none 0px; line-height: 19.200000762939453px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">"Pat is a regulator," Freeman said. "He's a good guy and we're looking to him to do his job in his own way."</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 13px; padding: 0px; border: 0px none; font-size: 16px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none 0px; line-height: 19.200000762939453px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Still, Wood's record shows he wants government to let free markets work.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 13px; padding: 0px; border: 0px none; font-size: 16px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none 0px; line-height: 19.200000762939453px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" /><h3 style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px none; font-size: 16px; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none 0px; line-height: 19.200000762939453px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">FRIEND OF FREE MARKETS</h3><p style="margin: 0px 0px 13px; padding: 0px; border: 0px none; font-size: 16px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none 0px; line-height: 19.200000762939453px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">In the days before FERC's big meeting, Wood has shied away from an avalanche of media interview requests. But in an interview with the PBS documentary program "Frontline" recently, he said that "on our best day as a regulator, we can't do near the job for the customer that a competitive open market can do."</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 13px; padding: 0px; border: 0px none; font-size: 16px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none 0px; line-height: 19.200000762939453px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Asked about California's electricity crisis, he said the state has "a market that is not quite competitive.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 13px; padding: 0px; border: 0px none; font-size: 16px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none 0px; line-height: 19.200000762939453px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">"And so, does the FERC and do the states in that region have a role in putting that back together, so it can work for the benefit of the people in the future? Of course they do," Wood said.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 13px; padding: 0px; border: 0px none; font-size: 16px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none 0px; line-height: 19.200000762939453px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">If Wood's experience as the Bush-appointed president of Texas' PUC is any guide, FERC's move into tougher price caps will be only a temporary detour along the road to deregulation.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 13px; padding: 0px; border: 0px none; font-size: 16px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none 0px; line-height: 19.200000762939453px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">The <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/?controllerName=search&action=search&channel=politics&search=1&inlineLink=1&query=%22Texas+agency%22" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(1, 86, 96); text-decoration: none;">Texas agency</a> is in charge of the state's telephone and electric utilities. Electricity deregulation is in its first phase in a state so awash in oil and natural gas that about 85 percent of residential customers are served by utilities whose power generation operations are entirely in-state. That makes them exempt from federal regulations.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 13px; padding: 0px; border: 0px none; font-size: 16px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none 0px; line-height: 19.200000762939453px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Briesemeister credited Wood with being concerned about the impact of rising energy bills on the economically disadvantaged. But she clashed with him over rules that will allow utilities in Texas to pass along more of the cost of fuel increases to consumers.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 13px; padding: 0px; border: 0px none; font-size: 16px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none 0px; line-height: 19.200000762939453px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">"His door was always open to us. He did not agree with us 100 percent of the time, however," she said.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 13px; padding: 0px; border: 0px none; font-size: 16px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none 0px; line-height: 19.200000762939453px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">In Washington, there is debate about whether Wood's appointment is a cause of FERC's more activist tilt or whether the Bush administration is reacting to rising political pressure.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 13px; padding: 0px; border: 0px none; font-size: 16px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none 0px; line-height: 19.200000762939453px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">In any case, Wood's arrival and the recent fluctuations in wholesale power prices in California make for a fluid situation. "Eighty-seven things are all changing at once," said<a href="http://www.sfgate.com/?controllerName=search&action=search&channel=politics&search=1&inlineLink=1&query=%22Mark+Cooper%22" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(1, 86, 96); text-decoration: none;">Mark Cooper</a> of the <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/?controllerName=search&action=search&channel=politics&search=1&inlineLink=1&query=%22Consumer+Federation+of+America%22" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(1, 86, 96); text-decoration: none;">Consumer Federation of America</a>.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 13px; padding: 0px; border: 0px none; font-size: 16px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none 0px; line-height: 19.200000762939453px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">But Cooper said Bush, after tilting toward the right in his first four months in office, is moving back to the center -- exactly where Wood can work.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 13px; padding: 0px; border: 0px none; font-size: 16px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none 0px; line-height: 19.200000762939453px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">"In this situation, Pat Wood's skills will be important. He realizes there's a real world out there," said Cooper.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 13px; padding: 0px; border: 0px none; font-size: 16px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none 0px; line-height: 19.200000762939453px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"></p><ul style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px none; font-size: 12.800000190734863px; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none 0px; list-style: none; line-height: 15.199999809265137px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><li class="item clearfix" style="margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; zoom: 1; display: block;"><h4 style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px none; font-style: inherit; font-size: 1.09em; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none 0px;"><a href="http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Democrats-laud-Bush-s-energy-cop-But-big-tests-2826160.php" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(102, 123, 123); text-decoration: none;">Democrats laud Bush's energy cop / But big tests ahead for Patrick Wood in California cases</a></h4><div class="detail" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;"><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px none; font-style: inherit; font-size: 0.92em; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none 0px; line-height: 1.5em;">When Wood stepped into the political cauldron last June as President Bush's choice to head the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, California's electricity crisis was generating rolling blackouts and a cross-continental brawl between Gov. Gray... <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Democrats-laud-Bush-s-energy-cop-But-big-tests-2826160.php" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(1, 86, 96); text-decoration: none;">more »</a></p></div><h5 class="timestamp" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px none; font-style: inherit; font-size: 0.84em; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none 0px; color: rgb(102, 102, 102); line-height: 1.75em;"><span class="credit" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">Carolyn Lochhead</span> <span class="brand" style="margin: 0px 8px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">San Francisco Chronicle</span><span class="date" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">6.29.02</span> <span class="time" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">4:00 AM</span></h5><p class="tags" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px none; font-style: inherit; font-size: 0.84em; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none 0px; color: rgb(102, 102, 102); line-height: 1.75em;"><a href="http://www.sfgate.com/?controllerName=search&action=search&searchindex=property&sort=date&channel=politics&category=%22electricity+production+and+distribution%22" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(102, 102, 102); text-decoration: none;">electricity production and distribution</a> | <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/?controllerName=search&action=search&searchindex=property&sort=date&channel=politics&category=%22consumers%22" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(102, 102, 102); text-decoration: none;">consumers</a> | <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/?controllerName=search&action=search&searchindex=property&sort=date&channel=politics&category=%22design+and+engineering%22" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(102, 102, 102); text-decoration: none;">design and engineering</a> |<a href="http://www.sfgate.com/?controllerName=search&action=search&searchindex=property&sort=date&channel=politics&category=%22energy+and+resource%22" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(102, 102, 102); text-decoration: none;">energy and resource</a></p></li><li class="item clearfix search_message" style="margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; border-bottom-style: solid; 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font-size: 0.75em; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; display: inline; float: left;"><h4 style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px none; font-style: inherit; font-size: 1.09em; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none 0px;"><a href="http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Fed-price-caps-placate-Demos-But-Feinstein-s-2907923.php" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(102, 123, 123); text-decoration: none;">Fed price caps placate Demos / But Feinstein's bill to regulate energy producers was more strict</a></h4><div class="detail" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;"><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px none; font-style: inherit; font-size: 0.92em; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none 0px; line-height: 1.5em;">With federal regulators moving to cap prices on wholesale electricity, California's Dianne Feinstein and other Senate Democrats yesterday withdrew their threat to do it for them. While Democrats hailed FERC's move, power generators and marketers... <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Fed-price-caps-placate-Demos-But-Feinstein-s-2907923.php" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(1, 86, 96); text-decoration: none;">more »</a></p></div><h5 class="timestamp" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px none; font-style: inherit; font-size: 0.84em; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none 0px; color: rgb(102, 102, 102); line-height: 1.75em;"><span class="credit" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">Carolyn Lochhead</span> <span class="brand" style="margin: 0px 8px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">San Francisco Chronicle</span><span class="date" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">6.20.01</span> <span class="time" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">4:00 AM</span></h5><p class="tags" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px none; font-style: inherit; font-size: 0.84em; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none 0px; color: rgb(102, 102, 102); line-height: 1.75em;"><a href="http://www.sfgate.com/?controllerName=search&action=search&searchindex=property&sort=date&channel=politics&category=%22parties+and+movements%22" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(102, 102, 102); text-decoration: none;">parties and movements</a> | <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/?controllerName=search&action=search&searchindex=property&sort=date&channel=politics&category=%22energy+and+resource%22" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(102, 102, 102); text-decoration: none;">energy and resource</a> | <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/?controllerName=search&action=search&searchindex=property&sort=date&channel=politics&category=%22prices%22" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(102, 102, 102); text-decoration: none;">prices</a> | <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/?controllerName=search&action=search&searchindex=property&sort=date&channel=politics&category=%22natural+resources+%28general%29%22" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(102, 102, 102); text-decoration: none;">natural resources (general)</a> | <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/?controllerName=search&action=search&searchindex=property&sort=date&channel=politics&category=%22electricity+production+and+distribution%22" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(102, 102, 102); text-decoration: none;">electricity production and distribution</a> | <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/?controllerName=search&action=search&searchindex=property&sort=date&channel=politics&category=%22energy+resources%22" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(102, 102, 102); text-decoration: none;">energy resources</a></p></div></li><li class="item clearfix" style="margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; zoom: 1; display: block;"><div class="itembox" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px -76px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-size: 0.75em; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; display: inline; float: left;"><h4 style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px none; font-style: inherit; font-size: 1.09em; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none 0px;"><a href="http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Democrats-pull-their-plan-for-power-price-caps-2908061.php" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(102, 123, 123); text-decoration: none;">Democrats pull their plan for power price caps / Feinstein applauds regulators' action</a></h4><div class="detail" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;"><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px none; font-style: inherit; font-size: 0.92em; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none 0px; line-height: 1.5em;">Led by California's Dianne Feinstein, Senate Democrats today withdrew their threat to impose price caps on wholesale electricity, saying federal regulators more or less did it for them yesterday. The Bush administration, especially Vice... <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Democrats-pull-their-plan-for-power-price-caps-2908061.php" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(1, 86, 96); text-decoration: none;">more »</a></p></div><h5 class="timestamp" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px none; font-style: inherit; font-size: 0.84em; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none 0px; color: rgb(102, 102, 102); line-height: 1.75em;"><span class="credit" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">Carolyn Lochhead</span> <span class="brand" style="margin: 0px 8px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">San Francisco Chronicle</span><span class="date" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">6.19.01</span> <span class="time" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">4:00 AM</span></h5><p class="tags" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px none; font-style: inherit; font-size: 0.84em; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none 0px; color: rgb(102, 102, 102); line-height: 1.75em;"><a href="http://www.sfgate.com/?controllerName=search&action=search&searchindex=property&sort=date&channel=politics&category=%22parties+and+movements%22" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(102, 102, 102); text-decoration: none;">parties and movements</a> | <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/?controllerName=search&action=search&searchindex=property&sort=date&channel=politics&category=%22laws%22" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(102, 102, 102); text-decoration: none;">laws</a> | <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/?controllerName=search&action=search&searchindex=property&sort=date&channel=politics&category=%22energy+and+resource%22" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(102, 102, 102); text-decoration: none;">energy and resource</a></p></div></li></ul><ul style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px none; font-size: 12.800000190734863px; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none 0px; list-style: none; line-height: 15.199999809265137px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><li class="item clearfix" style="margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; zoom: 1; display: block;"><div class="itembox" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px -76px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-size: 0.75em; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; display: inline; float: left;"><h4 style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px none; font-style: inherit; font-size: 1.09em; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none 0px;"><a href="http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/NEWSMAKER-PROFILE-Pat-Wood-Bush-appointee-2907131.php" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(102, 123, 123); text-decoration: none;">NEWSMAKER PROFILE / Pat Wood / Bush appointee brings balancing act to FERC</a></h4><div class="detail" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;"><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px none; font-style: inherit; font-size: 0.92em; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none 0px; line-height: 1.5em;">If federal regulators, as expected, overcome their ideological reservations and enact new energy price controls for California today, the agent of change might be a 39-year-old Texan with the grandly patriotic name of Patrick Henry Wood III. The... <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/NEWSMAKER-PROFILE-Pat-Wood-Bush-appointee-2907131.php" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(1, 86, 96); text-decoration: none;">more »</a></p></div><h5 class="timestamp" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px none; font-style: inherit; font-size: 0.84em; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none 0px; color: rgb(102, 102, 102); line-height: 1.75em;"><span class="credit" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">Edward Epstein</span> <span class="brand" style="margin: 0px 8px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">San Francisco Chronicle</span><span class="date" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">6.18.01</span> <span class="time" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">4:00 AM</span></h5><p class="tags" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px none; font-style: inherit; font-size: 0.84em; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none 0px; color: rgb(102, 102, 102); line-height: 1.75em;"><a href="http://www.sfgate.com/?controllerName=search&action=search&searchindex=property&sort=date&channel=politics&category=%22energy+and+resource%22" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(102, 102, 102); text-decoration: none;">energy and resource</a> | <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/?controllerName=search&action=search&searchindex=property&sort=date&channel=politics&category=%22prices%22" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(102, 102, 102); text-decoration: none;">prices</a> | <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/?controllerName=search&action=search&searchindex=property&sort=date&channel=politics&category=%22consumers%22" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(102, 102, 102); text-decoration: none;">consumers</a> | <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/?controllerName=search&action=search&searchindex=property&sort=date&channel=politics&category=%22consumer+issue%22" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(102, 102, 102); text-decoration: none;">consumer issue</a></p></div></li><li class="item clearfix last" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-style: none; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; zoom: 1; display: block;"><div class="itembox" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px -76px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-size: 0.75em; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; display: inline; float: left;"><h4 style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px none; font-style: inherit; font-size: 1.09em; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none 0px;"><a href="http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Energy-Nominees-Would-Give-GOP-Majority-on-Panel-2937661.php" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(102, 123, 123); text-decoration: none;">Energy Nominees Would Give GOP Majority on Panel</a></h4><div class="detail" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;"><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px none; font-style: inherit; font-size: 0.92em; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none 0px; line-height: 1.5em;">Bush tapped a fellow Texan, Patrick Henry Wood III, chairman of the Texas Public Utilities Commission, and Nora Mead Brownell, a Pennsylvania public utility commissioner, to fill two vacancies on the five-member Federal Energy Regulatory... <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Energy-Nominees-Would-Give-GOP-Majority-on-Panel-2937661.php" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(1, 86, 96); text-decoration: none;">more »</a></p></div><h5 class="timestamp" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px none; font-style: inherit; font-size: 0.84em; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none 0px; color: rgb(102, 102, 102); line-height: 1.75em;"><span class="credit" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">Carolyn Lochhead</span> <span class="brand" style="margin: 0px 8px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">San Francisco Chronicle</span><span class="date" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">3.28.01</span> <span class="time" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">4:00 AM</span></h5><p class="tags" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px none; font-style: inherit; font-size: 0.84em; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none 0px; color: rgb(102, 102, 102); line-height: 1.75em;"><a href="http://www.sfgate.com/?controllerName=search&action=search&searchindex=property&sort=date&channel=politics&category=%22parties+and+movements%22" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(102, 102, 102); text-decoration: none;">parties and movements</a> | <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/?controllerName=search&action=search&searchindex=property&sort=date&channel=politics&category=%22energy+and+resource%22" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(102, 102, 102); text-decoration: none;">energy and resource</a> | <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/?controllerName=search&action=search&searchindex=property&sort=date&channel=politics&category=%22prices%22" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(102, 102, 102); text-decoration: none;">prices</a> | <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/?controllerName=search&action=search&searchindex=property&sort=date&channel=politics&category=%22electricity+production+and+distribution%22" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(102, 102, 102); text-decoration: none;">electricity production and distribution</a> | <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/?controllerName=search&action=search&searchindex=property&sort=date&channel=politics&category=%22nationalization%22" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(102, 102, 102); text-decoration: none;">nationalization</a></p></div></li></ul></div><div>===
<div><div>News Release: April 6, 2005<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Print this page View Printable PDF Version</div><div>Chairman Pat Wood, III to conclude his term on June 30</div><div>
</div><div>Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Chairman Pat Wood, III told his staff today that he will leave the Commission at the conclusion of his term of office June 30. </div><div>
</div><div>"As my term at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission comes to an end on June 30, I wanted to thank you for the unparalleled opportunity you gave me to serve you, Texas and our nation for this past decade," Chairman Wood said in an April 5 letter to President Bush. "It has been a joy and an honor to be your point man on industry restructuring and oversight, both here and at the Public Utility Commission of Texas, and I am proud of what we accomplished to solve problems and make markets work better for customers." </div><div>
</div><div>Chairman Wood is the longest-serving appointee of George W. Bush, who as Governor of Texas in 1995 appointed him to the PUC of Texas, which regulates the state's electricity and telecommunications industries. While Chairman of the Texas Commission, he and his colleagues oversaw a historic restructuring of the state's electricity market in the Electric Reliability Council of Texas to provide for retail competition and customer choice of electricity providers. On the telecom side, the Texas Commission became a national leader in implementation of the Federal Telecommunications Act of 1996. </div><div>
</div><div>During his term at the FERC, which began in June 2001, the Commission:</div><div>helped to stabilize the 2000-2001 Western electricity crisis and restructured the agency to provide for more effective oversight of energy markets. The Commission's actions contributed to more than $4 billion in settlements for Western customers;</div><div>
</div><div>
</div><div>promoted numerous policies to enhance energy market transparency, promote infrastructure development and to make markets work more effectively for customers;</div><div>
</div><div>
</div><div>took a leadership role after the August 14, 2003, power grid blackout and established a new power-grid reliability division at the Commission;</div><div>
</div><div>
</div><div>issued 21 new hydropower licenses and 110 relicenses totaling 4,763 megawatts of generation capacity;</div><div>
</div><div>
</div><div>certificated 4,154 miles of new interstate natural gas pipelines and 128 billion cubic feet of new natural gas storage; and</div><div>
</div><div>
</div><div>approved 7.9 billion cubic feet per day of new liquefied natural gas vaporization capacity to help assure continued abundant and affordable supplies of energy.</div><div>
</div><div>A native of Port Arthur, Texas, Chairman Wood received a B.S. in Civil Engineering from Texas A&M University and earned his law degree from Harvard Law School. He has worked as an engineer with Arco Indonesia and as an attorney with the Baker & Botts law firm in Washington, D.C. He also served as an adviser to Federal Energy Regulatory Commissioner Jerry Langdon and as legal counsel to Texas Railroad Commissioner Barry Williamson. He is married to the former Kathleen Ryder. They have three sons and are expecting a fourth child this fall. </div><div>
</div><div>"My career as a public servant has been guided by a firm belief that well-structured competitive markets are better than top-down regulation in delivering customer benefits and service and technological innovation," Chairman Wood said. "I leave confident that my esteemed and very capable colleagues will continue our mutual course and look forward to bringing my family back to my home state of Texas," the Chairman added. </div></div><div>
</div></div></div>