A weekly update on state and federal energy regulatory developments.
In 2015, U.S. clean energy investment hit a record $329 billion, due in part to advancements in transmission and storage technologies that smooth out renewable generation variability and make these sources more practical and reliable contributors to the grid.
For more than 25 years, our energy team has worked with utilities and independent power producers on development and operation of high-voltage transmission lines and interconnection facilities across the United States. These projects require sophisticated legal advisers who are able to navigate a complex federal, state and local energy regulatory framework, as well as land use, environmental compliance, financing and contracting issues associated with transmission infrastructure construction and operation.
Few major law firms have our experience and reputation in energy transmission projects. We’ve advised our clients concerning interstate transmission lines crossing multiple states, tribal lands, private property, and lands and natural resources managed and regulated by various federal agencies, including the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, the U.S. Park Service, the U.S. Forest Service and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and associated natural resource regulatory compliance strategies.
We’ve advised independent power producers on transmission strategies in connection with power plant development in transmission-constrained areas, including siting generator intertie lines to move power from remote locations to regional substations. And as our utility clients face a growing need to expand and modernize local and regional transmission lines and substations, we are on the front line in addressing and resolving the conflicts between existing land uses and the need for critical infrastructure.
We also actively participate in industry associations—such as the Smart Grid Consumer Collaborative—that focus on consumer research, outreach and best practices for utilities, suppliers and vendors. Our leadership as legal advisers on energy transmission projects comes from our collective experience, industry knowledge and reputation for collaborative approaches with all parties to a project.