Energy

Our expertise includes:

• All aspects of production, refining, transport
• California Public Utilities Commission Regulation
• Climate Change
• Community Benefits Agreements
• Community Choice Aggregation
• Emergency Response and Reporting
• Enforcement defense
• Facility Siting
• Greenhouse Gas Regulation
• Oil and Gas
• Pipeline acquisition
• Pipeline Regulation
• Pipeline sharing agreements
• Power Purchase Agreements
• Renewables
• Transportation

Representative Matters

• Lithium Valley Specific Plan. Advising Imperial County on all aspects of the Lithium Valley Specific Plan and its associated EIR. The Specific Plan sets forth a comprehensive framework to transform the Imperial Valley into a hub for renewable energy, mineral recovery, manufacturing, and logistics across 51,786 acres adjacent to the Salton Sea. This plan is posed to help California decarbonize the electricity sector and is a crucial pillar of the California Air Resources Board’s 2022 Scoping Plan to address climate change.
• California Public Utilities Commission. Since 2006, our attorneys have provided the CPUC’s Energy Division with CEQA advice on complex issues related to transmission and energy planning. In the course of this work, we have reviewed dozens of the CPUC’s EIRs, MNDs, MMRPs, Findings, SOCs and Draft Decisions. Some of our most recent projects include:
  • SDG&E Sycamore-Peñasquitos 230-KV Transmission Line Project. Legal review of an EIR and associated documentation for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN) for construction and operation of a new 230-kV transmission line between the existing Sycamore Canyon and Peñasquitos Substations, including four transmission line segments and minor modifications to four existing substations.
  • SDG&E Salt Creek Substation Project. Legal review of an EIR and associated documentation for construction of a 69/12-kV substation at the Salt Creek Substation site; and underground loop-in to connect the existing 69-kV powerline (TL 6910) to the substation; and additional energy generation at the existing CalPeak Power.
  • SCE Circle City and Mira Loma-Jefferson 66 kV Subtransmission Line Project. Legal review of an EIR and associated documentation for a permit to construct (PTC) the Circle City Substation and Mira Loma-Jefferson 66kV Subtransmission Line Project. The Project consists of construction of: a new 66/12 kV substation (Circle City Substation); four new 66 kV subtransmission source lines; and a new 66 kV subtransmission line, which would be a combination of both overhead and underground construction. The Project would also include an upgrade to the Mira Loma Substation, construction of approximately six new underground 12 kV distribution getaways exiting the proposed Circle City Substation, relocation of approximately 1.9 miles of an existing overhead 33 kV distribution line to an underground position, and installation of telecommunication facilities to connect the Project to SCE’s existing telecommunications system.
  • SCE Mesa 500-kV Substation Project. Legal review of an EIR and associated documentation for a PTC to rebuild and upgrade a portion of SCE’s transmission infrastructure primarily within the Western Los Angeles Basin Electrical Needs Area. The project will upgrade the existing 220/66/16-kV Mesa Substation to a 500/220/66/16-kV substation.
  • SDG&E Cleveland National Forest, Master Special Use Permit. Legal review of an EIR/EIS and associated documentation for construction of SDG&E’s Master Special Use Permit (MSUP) and PTC Power Line Replacement Projects located in and around the Cleveland National Forest (CNF) in San Diego County.
  • PG&E Missouri Flat-Gold Hill 115kV Reconductoring Project. Legal review of IS/MND for an application to reinforce the electric transmission and distribution system in El Dorado County by replacing existing conductor (reconductoring), replacing existing poles, and modifying existing lattice steel towers on the Missouri Flat-Gold Hill115 kV Power Line (Missouri Flat-Gold Hill Line).
  • PG&E Cressey-Gallo 115 kV Power Line Project. Legal review of IS/MND for construction of a new 115 kV power line between Cressey and Gallo Substations to form a power line loop with two other area substations.
  • PG&E Fulton-Fitch Mountain 60 kV Reconductoring Project. Legal review of IS/MND for an application to reinforce the electric transmission system in central Sonoma County by replacing the conductor on a 9.9-mile-long section of the Fulton-Hopland 60-kV Power Line (Fulton-Hopland line) between the Fulton Substation and Fitch Mountain Substation.
  • PG&E Sanger Substation Expansion Project. Legal review of IS/MND for an application to expand the existing Sanger Substation in unincorporated Fresno County to contain a new breaker-and-a-half bus configuration.
  • SDG&E Wood-to-Steel Project (TL 649). Legal review of IS/MND for proposed wood-to-steel replacement of existing facilities; conversion of approximately 430 feet of underground power line cable under State Route 125 to an overhead configuration; interception of existing underground distribution lines; and modification of existing access roads as needed.
  • SDG&E Pendleton (TL 695 & TL 6971) Reconductor Project. Legal review of IS/MND for a proposed Tie-Line (TL) 695 and TL 6971 Reconductor Project (proposed project) in northern San Diego County and southern Orange County.
  • PG&E Ravenswood-Cooley Landing 115kV Reconductoring Project. Legal review of forthcoming CEQA document for replacement of the existing wires on 1 .6 miles of double circuit 115 kV power line supported by nine steel lattice towers between Ravenswood Substation and Cooley Landing Substation.
  • SDG&E San Marcos to Escondido TL6975 69 kV Project. Legal review of forthcoming CEQA document for a combination of new overhead single-circuit electric power line structures, rebuild of existing structures from single circuit to double circuit, and the reconductoring and re-energizing of existing conductors.
  • SDG&E Del Mar Substation (TL674A Reconfigure & TL666D Removal Project). Legal review of forthcoming CEQA document for an application to address the safety, environmental, and reliability concerns in SDG&E’s existing Del Mar Substation area, and ensure that the substation and associated components meet the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) criteria. The applicant proposes to meet NERC criteria by replacing an overhead 69 kV power line (TL666D) that is currently operated in the open position with a new line (TL6974D) of a higher voltage rating.
  • SDG&E San Marcos to Escondido TL6975 69 kV Project. Legal review of forthcoming CEQA document for a PTC a combination of new overhead single-circuit electric power line structures, rebuild of existing structures from single circuit to double circuit, and the reconductoring and re-energizing of existing conductors in the cities of Carlsbad, Escondido, Vista and San Marcos, and in unincorporated San Diego County.

• Acquisition of electrical transmission, water, and natural gas facilities
• Transfer of licenses for a hydroelectric facility
• FERC proceedings relating to applications for wave-generation projects off the coastline
• Preparation of a request for proposals to solicit energy service companies and energy developers to provide financing, engineering, procurement, operations and maintenance of rooftop and stand-alone solar facilities on or near certain public buildings
• Agreements, include the sale of geothermal energy on a “take and pay” basis, design of a small hydropower plant, project specifications and front-end terms and conditions for a hydropower plant maintenance project, and a cloud seeding project for hydropower plant
• Oil and gas transaction and regulatory advice regarding land use entitlement and related project development, environmental law compliance programs and enforcement actions, asset sales and acquisitions, corporate insurance programs and marketing and manufacturing agreements
• Advice to entities seeking to become community choice aggregators, and to existing publicly owned utilities with respect to the purchase of electric power
• Power purchase transactions and the formation of joint powers agencies, which purchase natural gas and electricity on behalf of their members