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The article states that several market trades made in the U.S. between 2009 and 2012 by French oil firm Total SA were under investigation by the U.S. agency the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and that Total and the CFTC were in settlement negotiations as of late September 2015. According to the article, the CFTC investigation became public shortly after the U.S. agency the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) made allegations against a Total subsidiary. The article presents comments from Total chief executive Patrick Pouyanné.

The article discusses former U.S. Justice Department prosecutors who head the enforcement divisions of other federal agencies, and in some cases the agencies themselves. Jennifer Shasky Calvery spent 15 years at Justice before becoming director of the Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network. Norman Bay, a former U.S. Attorney in New Mexico, will become head of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

The article discusses the influence of U.S. Senator Harry Reid in determining who gets appointed to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). In June, 2014 Reid favors Norman Bay to become FERC chairman, a position from which he has previously blocked the candidacies of Cheryl LaFleur and John Norris. Reid is said to be motivated by a desire to develop Nevada's renewable-energy industry.

The article discusses the vulnerability of the U.S. power grid to sabotage. A 2013 analysis by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) concluded that coordinated attacks on as few as nine electric-transmission substations could cause a nation-wide collapse of the power system lasting for weeks or longer. Former FERC chairman Jon Wellinghoff says critical substations numbering fewer than 100 need to be protected against attack.

The article reports that the U.S. Justice Department has begun an investigation into whether U.S. energy markets have been manipulated by banking company J. P. Morgan Chase & Co., which in July 2013 settled such claims from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission by agreeing to pay $410 million. The investigation is being headed by U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara.

The article reports that banking company J. P. Morgan Chase & Co. is nearing an agreement worth about $410 million with the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to settle claims by FERC it had manipulated energy markets. It is believed that neither Morgan executive Blythe Masters nor three energy traders she supervised whose activities FERC had been investigating will be sanctioned.

The article discusses aggressive enforcement activity on the part of the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). In July 2013 FERC acted to impose a $435 million fine on banking company Barclays PLC for misconduct in California's electricity market, and is in talks with Barclays rival J. P. Morgan Chase & Co. regarding a similar but potentially larger settlement.

The article reports that the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and banking company J. P. Morgan Chase & Co. are in talks that could result in Morgan paying a fine in excess of $435 million to settle allegations that it had abused electricity markets in the Midwest and California. FERC claims that Morgan executive Blythe Masters and three of the bank's traders were complicit in wrongdoing.

The article covers lawsuits between financial firms and the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), which regulates electricity markets. Particular attention is given to firms such as Deutsche Bank AG, J.P. Morgan Chase and Co., and Barclays PLC, which have all faced allegations of market manipulation. Information is provided on the FERC's authority to impose fines and the financial firms' attempts to defend their practices.

The article reports that the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) suspended some actions of the energy-trading unit of investment bank J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. It is said that the operation of power plants and the sale of electricity by the unit was the subject of purportedly false statements by the firm.

The article looks at Barclays PLC bank as of November 1, 2012, focusing on regulatory and legal problems the bank is facing. It describes two separate U.S. government investigations of the bank, one by the U.S. Justice Department and U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) related to alleged corruption and one by the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) related to alleged energy price manipulation. INSET: Hot Water.

The article reports that Google Energy LLC, a subsidiary of Google Inc. has requested permission from the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to buy and sell energy. Google Inc. says it was prompted by energy-management considerations and a desire to improve access to renewable energy. Google Inc. is believed to have 24 or more data centers, each of which may consume up to 50 megawatts of energy.

Reports that little progress will be made in the effort to remake the U.S electrical grid as was speculated after the August 2003 black out in the eastern portion of the United States. Details of an energy bill in Congress, indicating a plan to reduce the disruptions in electricity markets proposed by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) will not be part of it; Year in which Senate Energy Committee chairman Pete Domenci, a New Mexico Republican, will put off implementation of the FERC plan, which aims to fix some of the management and structural problems that may have contributed to the black out; Number of controllers overseeing the U.S. power grid, suggesting confusing lines of authority and interorganizational communication choppy; Details of FERC's plan to reduce the amount of management.

Reports that the government has posted several e-mail communications between Enron Corp. employees on the Internet. Number of e-mail messages the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has gathered from its investigation into Enron and has posted at a searchable database on the Web; Reaction from Enron employees, who have personal e-mail messages posted on the Web; Comments from Kevin Cadden of FERC, suggesting blame for posting personal messages goes to Enron; Efforts of Enron employees to track down personal e-mails with sensitive information that it deemed had no reason to be posted.

Examines the need for controls and rules even in a free market economy. Details of a plan from Patrick Wood, who serves as chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, with respect to establishing a standard market design for wholesale electricity; Measures enacted by the U.S. Congress, requiring more financial disclosure from companies; Other agencies' plans for rules in communication and commerce markets; Comments from Wood regarding the needed oversight in a free market system. INSET: Many Makeovers.

The article reports on the accusation of the U.S. Federal Energy Regulation Commission (FERC) that British energy company BP PLC has manipulated Texas natural-gas markets in 2008.

The article presents the views of Philip Moeller, commissioner of the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on the reliability and implications of the U.S. Clean Power Plan.

The article reports that the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission ordered the utilities to identify key transmission substations and other hubs and strengthen the security in place to protect from potential attackers that will try to disrupt the electric gird.

Letters to the editor are presented in response to articles in previous issues including "Why Are Teachers Unions So Opposed to Change" in the July 21, 2014 issue, "Hudson Valley of the Dolls" in the July 14, 2014 issue, and "Wanted: Converts to Judaism" by Arnold M. Eisen in the July 25, 2014 issue.

The article reports that on July 17, 2014 the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission advised electric-utility industry group the North American Electric Reliability Corp. to strengthen certain portions of a plan it submitted for bolstering security for the nation's electric grid.

The editorial looks at the July 2014 U.S. Senate confirmation of U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) nominee Norman Bay, criticizing U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid for allegedly exerting undue influence on Bay and citing a FERC case concerning New York electricity rates.

An editorial is presented which discusses a proposed U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission zoning plan which could involve charging residents of the Hudson Valley region in New York for electricity services that will be used in New York City, arguing in favor of the opposition of the U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer.

An editorial is presented which argues that U.S. Senators who vote in favor of appointing the prosecutor Norman Bay as head of the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission will be expressing support for Bay's actions in allegedly harming a paper mill business of the executive Keith Van Scotter as of June 2014.