For more information about this practice area, please contact William Adams or Dane Stinson. Deregulation and competitive issues are the focus of our attorneys' energy practice, and include certification of competitive suppliers and governmental aggregators; the resolution of disputes among suppliers, competitors and customers; generic rulemakings; rate regulation (including municipal rate ordinances and appeals); prosecution and defense of competitor and consumer complaints, including service quality issues; siting power plants and other energy facilities; transactions involving energy assets; and advice and negotiations for special contracts for energy sellers and consumers. We have assisted competitive energy providers enter and operate in Ohio's markets since the advent of utility restructuring in this state. Although we offer a wide range of services at all levels of government and business, our focus is on representing clients' business and regulatory interests before state regulatory agencies, state and federal courts, in contract negotiations, and alternative dispute resolution proceedings. We represented our clients' interests in the extensive rulemakings conducted by the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio ("PUCO") that implemented the legislation that restructured the electric and natural gas markets in Ohio. Our involvement has continued as the markets evolve and regulations are revised to the dynamics of competition in Ohio's markets. We continuously monitor the electric distribution companies' compliance with their individual electric transition plans for the transition to a competitive market, as well as the incumbent utilities' new regulatory initiatives introduced as the market development periods come to an end. We represent our clients' interests on these initiatives, which include proposed rate stabilization plans, standard service offers, competitive bid procedures, changes to electric utilities' supplier tariffs, and changes to the business relationships resulting from the formation of the regional transmission organizations. We also have assisted our clients in navigating the regulations imposed by the PUCO, the Ohio Power Siting Board, and the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, and in protecting our clients' interests in court. Our activities before these agencies and courts include:
While maintaining these skills to protect our clients' legal interests arising from state agency regulation, we also counsel our clients on their rights, options, and consequences (both regulatory and business) in resolving the myriad day-to-day competitive issues that arise in the new competitive environment among aggregators, suppliers, and incumbent energy providers and their customers. We also have assisted our clients in related areas, including:
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