BATON ROUGE, La. — Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) member David LaCerte will speak at LSU Law on Oct. 8 about the future of U.S. energy policy, infrastructure and power markets as utilities face growing electricity demand, including from data centers.
LaCerte, a 2008 LSU Law graduate, will return to his alma mater to deliver the 2026 Liskow Visiting Professor in Energy Law Lecture.
“LSU Law is extremely proud to have one of our alumni serving on the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, and we are delighted that Commissioner LaCerte is returning to LSU Law to deliver our annual Liskow Visiting Professor in Energy Law Lecture,” said LSU Law Professor Keith Hall, who serves as director of both the John P. Laborde Energy Law Center and Mineral Law Institute at LSU Law.
LaCerte will discuss “The Future of Power: Modernizing American Energy Policy, Infrastructure and Markets” during his lecture, which will take place from 5 to 6 p.m. in the Robinson Courtroom at LSU Law. A reception will follow in the Student Lounge, just outside the courtroom. The event is free and open to the public, and attendees will have the opportunity to earn an hour of continuing legal education credit.
Power Demand Takes Center Stage
“I cannot think of a timelier topic—and no one is better qualified to speak about it than FERC Commissioner LaCerte,” Hall said. “The electric power sector is seeing unprecedented challenges, including rapid demand growth because of data centers. This requires both an increase in generating capacity and upgrades in the power transmission system. Also, increased use of intermittent sources of renewable power is creating challenges for grid management. And if we ever see a significant increase in the use of electric vehicles, that will be yet more demand for electric power.”
LaCerte was confirmed by the U.S. Senate to fill an unexpired term as a commissioner of FERC in October 2025. In May 2026, he was confirmed for a second, 10-year term. His work at FERC includes grid reliability, energy affordability and infrastructure modernization. Prior to his FERC appointment, he held senior roles in both state and federal government, including leadership positions at the U.S. Office of Personnel Management and the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board. A U.S. Marine Corps veteran, he also previously served as a state Cabinet Secretary in Louisiana. Along with his J.D. from LSU Law, LaCerte holds a B.A. from Nicholls State University.
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)
Created in 1977 by Congress, FERC is an independent agency within the U.S. Department of Energy. Five commissioners, nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate, lead the commission, which regulates the interstate transmission of electricity, natural gas and oil. FERC also reviews proposals for interstate natural gas pipelines, natural gas storage projects and liquefied natural gas terminals and licenses non-federal hydropower projects.
