October Term 2001 · Docket 00-568
Who controls priority on interstate power lines?
New York claims FERC Order 888 violates state authority over retail electricity sales.
Verified source milestones
- — An official oral-argument transcript was verified.
- — An official oral-argument transcript was verified.
The arguments, in order
This case may have been argued more than once. Each entry below uses that session's official transcript. Later arguments do not erase earlier ones.
Argument 1 ·
What happened at the argument
New York argues FERC Order 888 violates state authority over retail electricity sales.
FERC argues the order only regulates interstate transmission grid usage.
New York claims states regulated retail sales from 1910 until FERC acted.
FERC claims only it can effectively regulate interstate transmission grids.
Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 18, lines 31-29 — Transcript, file page 18, lines 31-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 33, lines 27-58 — Transcript, file page 33, lines 27-58
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 17-33 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 17-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 5-15 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 5-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 51, lines 33-15 — Transcript, file page 51, lines 33-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 45-11 — Transcript, file page 58, lines 45-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 60, lines 13-15 — Transcript, file page 60, lines 13-15
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
New York argues FERC Order 888 usurps state power over retail electricity sales. FERC argues the order only regulates interstate transmission grids.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 18, lines 31-29 — Transcript, file page 18, lines 31-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 33, lines 27-58 — Transcript, file page 33, lines 27-58
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 17-33 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 17-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 51, lines 33-15 — Transcript, file page 51, lines 33-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 45-11 — Transcript, file page 58, lines 45-11
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on October 3, 2001.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 5-15 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 5-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 60, lines 13-15 — Transcript, file page 60, lines 13-15
What each side wants
New York wants FERC to stop regulating retail electricity sales.
FERC wants to keep regulating interstate transmission grid usage.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 18, lines 31-29 — Transcript, file page 18, lines 31-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 33, lines 27-58 — Transcript, file page 33, lines 27-58
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 17-33 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 17-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 51, lines 33-15 — Transcript, file page 51, lines 33-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 45-11 — Transcript, file page 58, lines 45-11
What each side says
New York argues FERC lacks authority over retail electricity sales.
FERC argues only it can effectively regulate interstate transmission grids.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 18, lines 31-29 — Transcript, file page 18, lines 31-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 33, lines 27-58 — Transcript, file page 33, lines 27-58
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 17-33 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 17-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 51, lines 33-15 — Transcript, file page 51, lines 33-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 45-11 — Transcript, file page 58, lines 45-11
What the justices asked
Does FERC give states authority to decide curtailment priority?
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 60, lines 13-15 — Transcript, file page 60, lines 13-15
Why it matters
This dispute determines who controls priority on interstate power lines. It affects how states manage retail electricity sales. It shapes federal oversight of transmission grids.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 18, lines 31-29 — Transcript, file page 18, lines 31-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 33, lines 27-58 — Transcript, file page 33, lines 27-58
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 17-33 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 17-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 51, lines 33-15 — Transcript, file page 51, lines 33-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 45-11 — Transcript, file page 58, lines 45-11
What happens next
This article currently covers the argument record. Use the official docket link for later case activity.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 5-15 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 5-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 60, lines 13-15 — Transcript, file page 60, lines 13-15
Official Court provenance
Official docket and case history · Official Supreme Court oral-argument detail page
Title and summary sources
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 18, lines 31-29 — Transcript, file page 18, lines 31-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 33, lines 27-58 — Transcript, file page 33, lines 27-58
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 17-33 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 17-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 51, lines 33-15 — Transcript, file page 51, lines 33-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 45-11 — Transcript, file page 58, lines 45-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 18, lines 31-29 — Transcript, file page 18, lines 31-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 33, lines 27-58 — Transcript, file page 33, lines 27-58
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 17-33 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 17-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 51, lines 33-15 — Transcript, file page 51, lines 33-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 45-11 — Transcript, file page 58, lines 45-11
Revision history
- Revision 1 · Official Transcript ·
Correction: Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.
- Revision 2 · Official Transcript ·
Correction: Migrated to the dated official Court activity contract without model use.