Title 16 › Chapter 12— FEDERAL REGULATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF POWER › Subchapter III— LICENSEES AND PUBLIC UTILITIES; PROCEDURAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS › § 825l
People, electric utilities, States, municipalities, or State commissions who disagree with a Commission order can ask the Commission to rehear the case. They must file that request within 30 days of the order and say the exact reasons why. The Commission can grant, deny, change, or cancel its order without another hearing. If the Commission does not act within 30 days after the request is filed, the request may be treated as denied. You cannot go to court to review the order unless you first asked the Commission for rehearing. Before the court record is filed, the Commission may also change or cancel any finding or order at any time with reasonable notice. Any party unhappy after the Commission rules on rehearing can ask a U.S. court of appeals to review the order. The petition must be filed in the proper circuit (where the licensee or utility is located) or in the D.C. Circuit within 60 days after the Commission’s decision on rehearing. The court clerk sends a copy to the Commission, and the Commission must file the record with the court as required by section 2112 of Title 28. The court will only consider issues raised in the rehearing unless there was a good reason they were not raised before. The Commission’s factual findings supported by substantial evidence are final. If a party wants to add new evidence, the court can allow it to be taken before the Commission if the party shows it is important and there was a good reason it was not given earlier; the Commission can then update its findings. The court’s decision is final except for possible Supreme Court review under section 1254 of Title 28. Filing for rehearing or starting court review does not stop the Commission’s order unless the Commission or the court specifically orders a stay.
Full Legal Text
Conservation — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
Legislative History
Reference
Citation
16 U.S.C. § 825l
Title 16 — Conservation
Last Updated
Apr 5, 2026
Release point: 119-73not60