Overview

Jason Johns is an energy regulatory partner with two decades of experience representing power producers, utilities, electric cooperatives, investors, data center developers, and large industrial customers in high-stakes proceedings before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), regional transmission organizations, and transmission providers throughout North America. Jason serves as lead regulatory and compliance counsel to some of the nation's largest independent power producers, advising on market-based rate authority, Public Utility Holding Company Act (PUHCA) compliance, Electric Quarterly Reports (EQRs), Section 203 transactions, qualifying facility matters, affiliate issues, change-in-status reporting, generator interconnection compliance, and ongoing obligations arising under FERC orders, tariffs, and regulations. He regularly works with clients to develop compliance programs, manage regulatory risk, and navigate evolving federal energy policies affecting utility-scale generation portfolios.

His experience also includes landmark wholesale rate litigation establishing approximately $250 million in annual overcharges to electric cooperative members, successful defense of claims exceeding $1 billion arising from remanded Enron-era proceedings, and representation of developers, utilities, investors, data center operators, and large energy consumers in some of the most significant transmission and interconnection matters in the United States. Jason is also actively involved in the ongoing transformation of the electric grid across several regions, including the transmission planning, generator interconnection, and market reforms occurring throughout the California ISO, Southwest Power Pool (SPP), Midcontinent ISO (MISO), PJM Interconnection, and the Bonneville Power Administration region. As a result, he is nationally recognized for his expertise in energy regulatory matters.

Education

University of Montana School of Law, J.D., with honors; Technical Editor, Montana Law Review

University of California, B.S., Chemistry

Admissions

Oregon

United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit

United States Patent and Trademark Office

Experience

Regulatory Litigation and FERC Advocacy

  • Served as lead counsel in a five-year FERC litigation on behalf of an electric cooperative that culminated in a major victory demonstrating that the cooperative and similarly situated members were being overcharged by approximately $250 million annually in wholesale electric rates.
  • Directed all aspects of the case through a nearly three-month evidentiary hearing, extensive expert testimony, discovery, briefing, and post-hearing proceedings.
  • Successfully represented a client in remanded Enron-era proceedings following review by the United States Supreme Court, ultimately converting a claimed exposure of approximately $1 billion into a complete dismissal without liability.
  • Defended clients in high-profile FERC proceedings involving long-term power contracts, market regulation, reliability compliance, and wholesale rate disputes.
  • Appeared in more than 1,600 FERC filings, providing strategic counsel across virtually every major category of FERC-regulated activity.

Transmission, Interconnection and Market Reform

  • Advises developers, utilities, investors, and large-load customers on transmission policy, generator interconnection, market access, and wholesale power market participation.
  • Actively engaged in major transmission and interconnection reforms occurring throughout California ISO, Southwest Power Pool (SPP), Midcontinent ISO (MISO), PJM Interconnection, and the Bonneville Power Administration footprint, including initiatives affecting renewable generation development, transmission access, queue management, and long-term regional infrastructure planning.
  • Represents clients before FERC, ISOs, RTOs, and transmission providers on some of the most significant transmission and interconnection issues affecting regional energy markets.

Infrastructure Development and Energy Transactions

  • National FERC counsel to a Top 5 Fortune 500 technology company on energy infrastructure development, market participation, energy procurement, and regulatory strategy.
  • Lead regulatory counsel for major renewable energy developers, including AES Clean Energy and Copia Power, supporting utility-scale generation projects throughout the United States.
  • Advised clients in Section 203 transactions and project financings involving major institutional investors and financial institutions, including JPMorgan, PNC Commercial, KeyBank, Truist Bank, HSBC, US Bancorp, FifthThird, Wells Fargo, MetLife, Morgan Stanley, Santander Bank, State Street, and General Electric.

Large Energy Users and Emerging Industries

  • Advises data center operators, technology companies, manufacturers, and other large energy consumers regarding wholesale and retail energy procurement, infrastructure development, transmission service, and deployment of on-site energy resources.
  • Counsels clients on energy supply agreements, battery storage projects, fuel cell installations, renewable energy procurement, and large-load infrastructure strategy.

Client Successes

Insights

Insights & Presentations

  • “D.C. Circuit Affirms FERC’s Definition of “Power Production Capacity” in Broadview Solar” (co-author), Stoel Rives Renewable + Law® blog, September 11, 2025
  • “FERC Institutes Show Cause Proceeding to Address Co-Location Issues Related to Data Centers Running AI in PJM and Requests Industry Comments” (co-author), Stoel Rives LLP legal alert, March 5, 2025
  • “PJM Files Reliability Resource Initiative at FERC Requesting Expansion of Transition Cycle #2 for Reliability Resources” (co-author), Stoel Rives Renewable + Law® blog, December 19, 2024
  • “FERC Issues Order Expanding Findings Related to Non-Independent Directors and Affiliation” (co-author), Stoel Rives Renewable + Law® blog, November 22, 2024
  • “FERC Issues Final Rule on Improvements to Generator Interconnection Procedures and Agreements” (co-author), Stoel Rives Renewable + Law® blog, August 1, 2023
  • “D.C. Circuit Affirms FERC’s Broadview Order Confirming that Qualifying Facilities May Install Greater than 80 MW of Nameplate Generating Capacity” (co-author), Stoel Rives Renewable + Law® blog, February 15, 2023
  • “FERC Accepts PJM’s Interconnection Queue Reform” (co-author), Stoel Rives LLP legal alert, November 30, 2022
  • “FERC Proposes Broad Reforms to Interconnection Process” (co-author), Stoel Rives LLP legal alert, June 22, 2022
  • “Regulatory and Transmission-Related Issues” (co-author), Chapter 5, The Law of Solar Energy: A Guide to Business and Legal Issues, Stoel Rives LLP, Sixth Edition, 2022
  • “Regulatory and Transmission-Related Issues” (co-author), Chapter 13, The Law of Wind: A Guide to Business and Legal Issues, Stoel Rives LLP, Ninth Edition, 2022
  • “In Search of Middle Ground Between State Public Policy and Federal Regulation” (co-author), POWER magazine, November 2020
  • “FERC acts to narrow PURPA yet again” (co-author), pv magazine, July 2020
  • “FERC Eases Regulations During COVID-19 Crisis” (co-author), T&D World, April 2020
  • “You get MOPR’d! And you get MOPR’d!,” Renewable Energy World, February 2020
  • “Ninth Circuit Strikes Down California ReMAT In Winding Creek Solar Case” (co-author), Solar Industry, August 2019
  • “If You Build It, They Will Come: The Deal Structures That Are Bringing More Buyers to the Renewables Market” (co-author), RenewableEnergyWorld.com, May 2018
  • Moderator, “Expanding the All Important Corporate Market,” Wind Power Finance and Investment Summit, 2018
  • “Power Purchase Agreements: Utility-Scale Projects” (co-author), Chapter 3, The Law of Solar Energy: A Guide to Business and Legal Issues, Stoel Rives LLP, Fifth Edition, 2017
  • “Corporate Energy Procurement—Best Practices, Trends & Strategies,” Infocast Webinar, 2017
  • “The Federal Backdrop for Development of Renewable Energy Resources in the Midwest; Issues at the State/ Federal Divide; Other Factors Affecting State Policy Flexibility,” Renewable Energy in the Midwest, Law Seminars International, 2017
  • “Identifying, Assessing and Managing Risks,” Infocast’s Corporate Renewables Summit, Washington DC, 2016
  • “Emerging Trends in Power Markets,” Infocast’s Wind Power Finance and Investment Summit, 2015
  • “The Path to Cost Recovery,” Infocast’s Storage Week, 2014

Speaking Engagements

Special Reports

Recognition

  • Included in The Best Lawyers in America® (Energy Regulatory Law), 2023–present

Affiliations

Professional

  • Oregon State Bar Association, Member
  • American Bar Association, Member
  • Energy Bar Association, Member
  • Renewable Northwest Project
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