The White House on Jan. 6 nominated Nuclear Regulatory Commission member David Wright to a full five-year term, through June 30, 2025.
The move came as no surprise – the Trump administration had stated in November it intended to reappoint Wright.
Wright’s nomination was referred to the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. As of Wednesday, the panel had not scheduled a hearing on confirmation.
Wright joined the commission in May 2018. He took a seat that had previously been held by Commissioner Jeff Baran and expires on June 30 of this year. Baran, who has served on the commission since 2014, in 2018 himself received a five-year term to the end of June 2023.
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is the federal regulator for U.S. nuclear power and waste operations. The commission has a maximum of five members, with four spots currently filled by Chairman Kristine Svinicki and Commissioners Wright, Baran, and Annie Caputo. The fifth seat on the commission has been vacant since the April 2019 retirement of Stephen Burns.
There was no word this week regarding a nomination to fill out the commission. Several names have been rumored as potential candidates, including Christopher Hanson, a Democratic staffer on the Senate Appropriations Committee.
Before becoming an NRC commissioner, Wright was an energy and water consultant in South Carolina. He previously held several positions at the South Carolina Public Service Commission from 2004 to 2013, including vice chairman and chairman. He was president of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners from 2011 to 2012.
