Energy Litigation

Perkins Coie attorneys regularly engage in litigation to meet the needs of energy industry clients. Our extensive experience spans a broad range of contested proceedings before federal and state administrative agencies and courts.

Our administrative litigation capabilities include adjudications before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and many state regulatory commissions, including trial-type hearings, paper hearings, settlement proceedings and all types of alternative dispute resolution. We represent applicants and intervenors in:

• Gas and electric general rate cases and power or gas cost adjustment or tracker cases;
• Energy facility siting and licensing proceedings, including hydro licensing;
• Pipeline certification proceedings;
• QF certification cases;
• Merger applications;
• Customer complaint cases and regulatory enforcement actions regarding the rates, terms, or conditions of service, or alleged tariff or other violations; and
• Judicial appeals of administrative decisions and permits.

Our regulatory litigation experience includes representation of market participants in proceedings before all of the organized Independent System Operator/Regional Transmission Organization systems.

In addition, our civil court experience on energy-related matters includes litigation in federal and state trial and appellate courts involving:

• Defense and prosecution of contract claims related to provision and procurement of energy-related products or services, including federal Court of Claims actions under government contracts;
• Condemnation proceedings, easement encroachment cases, municipal franchise disputes and other litigation related to development and maintenance of rights of way for transmission and distribution facilities or takings of utility property by governmental authorities; and 
• Antitrust, the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act, fraud, tort or other claims related to the energy industry or provision of tariffed services.