Energy Regulatory-FERC

Comprising one of the largest energy practices in the nation, Winston & Strawn’s energy lawyers have been fully engaged across the spectrum of energy and utility regulation, including electric, natural gas, hydroelectric, and nuclear matters. Our energy attorneys have more than 30 years of experience in electric utility regulation and deregulation, including extensive experience with independent system operators (ISOs) and regional transmission organizations (RTOs), transmission ratemaking, negotiating power and transmission agreements, as well as nuclear and hydroelectric licensing and compliance matters.

We have been representing our clients as FERC regulation has evolved from traditional cost-of-service ratemaking, to service “unbundling” and open access transportation with its greater reliance on market forces. We are continuing to advise our clients as regulation changes and new opportunities arise in the wake of the Energy Policy Act of 2005, which removes the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 as an impediment to utility mergers, offers new incentives for transmission investments, gives FERC new authority over transmission siting, electric reliability standards and market manipulation, and establishes new procedures to enable hydroeletric licensees to challenge onerous mandatory license conditions.