The firm represents independent power producers, environmental non-profit groups, development interests, trade associations, and renewable energy companies in litigation and administrative proceedings before the Colorado Public Utilities Commission.  The firm’s attorneys have been active in dockets involving electric resource planning, demand-side management, rates and tariffs and implementation of the Colorado Clean Air Clean Jobs Act. 

Among others, the firm has represented clients in the following recent dockets:

  • The firm represented an independent power producer in the docket involving the implementation of the Colorado Clean Air Clean Jobs Act.  The Colorado Public Utilities Commission adopted a plan that requires the state’s largest regulated utility to reduce emissions by retiring or retrofitting approximately 1800MW of its coal-fired generation through replacement with natural-gas fired generation and installation of emissions controls.  The PUC rejected utility plans that would have replaced all of the coal fired-power with self-built gas generation or retained more of the coal.
  • In a tariff docket, the PUC ruled in favor of the firm’s clients by rejecting a utility’s sweeping environmental tariff proposal in its entirety, preventing Colorado’s largest utility from unreasonably shifting the risks and liabilities associated with potentially contaminated properties onto developers and property owners.  The rejected tariff would have substantially interfered with brownfield and infill development in Colorado.  
  • The firm represented a wind developer in a docket filed by a utility to amend its resource plan to reject certain winning bids.
  • In miscellaneous Docket No. 09I-653G, the firm represented an environmental non-profit group advocating the increased use of gas-fired generation in place of coal-fired generation in order to reduce greenhouse gas and other emissions.  This concept was later implemented by the Colorado Public Utilities Commission through the implementation of the Colorado Clean Air Clean Jobs Act.
  • In previous DSM and resource dockets, the firm has represented renewable trade associations and energy efficiency advocacy organizations to increase the acquisition of wind and solar energy, as well as more aggressive programs for energy efficiency.    

The firm’s Public Utilities practice complements its work for clients developing infrastructure throughout the country, including energy, transportation and brownfield development projects.  This has included litigation, negotiation and regulatory representation on a wide range of environmental, public lands, Part 77 airspace, surface rights over split mineral estates, land use and related issues.