Energy regulators drop plans to protect companies that report price data

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is withdrawing a proposed rule that would have protected companies reporting energy price data. This means data providers will not get a formal "safe harbor" from legal challenges if their data is used in price indexes.

For years, companies that provide data for natural gas and electricity price indexes have operated under an informal policy. This policy suggested they would not be held liable if their data was used to manipulate prices. The Commission's decision to withdraw a formal rule means this informal protection remains just that: informal. It does not create a new liability, but it also does not remove an existing uncertainty for data providers.