California's electricity woes -and those of other western states- have boosted the profile of the formerly obscure Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. Once Ferc was known only by those caught up in the arcane workings of the natural gas and electricity industries, which it supervises. But since the extraordinary climb of electricity prices, it has endured widespread condemnation for its refusal to cap them in the west. Over -wrought California ratepayers have even been known to substitute the term "Ferc-ed" for overcharged.