1978 · Milestone
Natural Gas Policy Act (NGPA)
The Natural Gas Policy Act extended FERC authority to intrastate production and began phased wellhead price decontrol—starting the shift from regulated gas prices toward market clearing that completed in the 1990s.
Historical era
Energy crises (1973–1979)
Oil embargoes and price shocks reshaped policy, conservation, and public attitudes toward nuclear power.