Laurence G. Chaset

Experience

Larry Chaset is of counsel to the firm. His practice is focused on regulatory advocacy, policy development and project development services in support of furthering state, regional and national clean energy goals. For the past 30-plus years he has represented public and private sector clients in numerous proceedings at the state and federal level addressing a broad range of energy projects and facilities, including at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and in the courts. Larry has successfully negotiated settlements of major transmission rate cases, the restructuring of long-term electric transmission contracts, and the provision of “reliability-must-run” transmission service. He has also been active in numerous public agency rulemaking and policy proceedings relating to transmission planning, generator interconnections, grid reliability and the integration of renewable resources, as well as in the proceedings on the Department of Energy’s National Interest Electric Transmission Corridors. In addition, Larry has extensive experience dealing with the environmental impacts of energy facilities and, in particular, with the siting of new transmission needed to access renewable energy resources.

Representative Work

Successfully opposed the Department of Energy’s designation of National Interest Electricity Transmission Corridors in the complex, multi-party appeal process before the Ninth Circuit of the U.S. Court of Appeals.
Achieved settlements in complex, multi-party proceedings at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, including: (i) numerous 9-figure electricity transmission owner rate cases (involving all three major California electric utilities); (ii) the restructuring of long-term electric transmission contracts among the Western Area Power Administration, various municipal utilities and the Pacific Gas and Electric Company; and (iii) the renegotiation of contractual arrangements for the sharing of transmission capacity on the Pacific AC Intertie.
Represented California and the National Association of Regulatory Commissioners in complex and contentious proceedings at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on the interconnection of new generation to the power grid, and in the appeal of FERC’s decisions in these proceedings to the United States Court of Appeal.
Successfully settled a federal court lawsuit brought by San Diego Gas & Electric Company regarding the disputed status of power purchase contracts, and successfully argued against a legal challenge to this settlement before the California Court of Appeal.
Was the earliest advocate for, and was instrumental in the development of, the California ISO’s Location-Constrained Resource Interconnection tariff rule, which facilitates the development of transmission needed to provide access to new renewable generation resources.
Guided preparation of high profile agency staff Investigative Report on the behavior of wholesale electricity generators during the California energy crisis of 2000-2001.
Successfully challenged denial by air district of client’s application to bank emission reduction credits resulting from shutdown of oil refinery.
Successfully negotiated highly detailed and technical permit conditions, which allowed major industrial expansion consistent with governmental regulatory requirements.
Represented various public agencies in major power plant and transmission line siting proceedings.
Appeared in hundreds of administrative adjudicatory proceedings involving the application and interpretation of complex and technical environmental regulations affecting a wide range of industries.
Prosecuted major environmental enforcement cases resulting in the entry of judicial consent orders.

Professional Honors & Activities

Member, Executive Committee, Environmental Law Section, Bar Association of San Francisco, 2009-present
Chair, Staff Subcommittee on Electricity, National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners, 2008-2011
Chair, Legal/Liability Committee, Air & Waste Management Association, 1994-1996

Presentations

Larry is a frequent speaker at continuing education seminars and policy conferences on current energy legislation, regulation and policy. Recent presentations include:

Market Challenges Facing Electricity Storage Technologies (EUCI, Electricity Storage: Business and Policy Drivers, Houston, TX – January 2011)
The Future of Electricity Storage in California (CBI Events, Energy Storage 2010, Shanghai, China – December 2010)
Who Should Regulate Energy Trading: Energy Regulators or Trading Regulators? (Energy Regulators Regional Association; Bucharest, Romania – March 2010)
The Case for Electricity Storage (Platt’s California Market Power Forum – November 2009)
The California Independent System Operator’s Location Constrained Resource Interconnection Tariff (Organization of MISO States – August 2009)

Education

Yale Law School, J.D. 1975
University of California, Berkeley, M.A. 1972 (Asian Studies)
Brown University, B.A. 1968 (cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa)