Developers of energy projects face complex challenges requiring both precision and scope from the project’s legal team. Verrill’s Energy Group consists of a well-integrated, multidisciplinary team of experienced professionals.
Because of the depth of our experience across a wide range of areas, including utility and environmental regulation, real estate, finance, corporate tax, and government relations, our Energy Group is able to provide and coordinate the full range of legal services required to successfully represent energy clients in today’s evolving energy markets and regulatory environment. We counsel energy developers to both anticipate regulatory developments and manage the regulatory process.
We serve as counsel in complex energy transactions including sales and acquisitions of generation facilities such as hydro and wind facilities; mergers and acquisitions involving energy companies and regulated utilities; purchases and sales of electric energy and capacity; acquisitions of utility rights-of-way or energy corridors; energy and new markets tax credits; and the permitting of major new high-voltage electric transmission lines, high-pressure natural gas pipelines, and wind energy facilities.
We regularly represent both generators and transmission providers before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and the Maine Public Utilities Commission (PUC) in proceedings such as rate cases, certificate proceedings, and consumer complaint cases, as well as before the Maine Department of Environmental Protection, Land Use Planning Commission, and municipalities in seeking siting approval.
Verrill’s Energy Group has recently researched, edited, and published the 2nd edition of its treatise, Maine Regulation of Public Utilities. It is the only comprehensive treatise on the subject.
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The 14-megawatt Hancock Solar project in the town of Hancock, Maine has obtained its Site Law permit from the Maine Department of Environmental Protection. Verrill assisted the project with environmental permitting, which included the challenge of locating the 58-acre array entirely on blueberry barrens that function as prime habitat for upland sandpipers, a threatened species under the Maine Endangered Species Act. Verrill helped negotiate a mitigation package that will preserve a large...
Verrill represented Diversified Communications in the acquisition of a newly built $2.5 million solar array in Brunswick, Maine. The array, which was developed by ReVision Energy and went online in January 2018, will provide power to more than 100 businesses at Brunswick Landing. Verrill attorneys advised Diversified Communications on a range of issues in the transaction, including federal debt financing, solar investment tax credits, solar renewable energy credits, electric power sales, EPC...
Emera's 2017 acquisition of Swan's Island Electric Cooperative required a multi-disciplined team of Verrill energy lawyers to successfully close the transaction. Because the seller was a member based cooperative, the transaction was structured as an asset purchase, rather than a stock purchase. This required a determination that the Cooperative had marketable title to hundreds of easements, many of which had been acquired by the Cooperative decades earlier. Upon investigation, the parties...
In 2017, Verrill Dana represented Cianbro Development Corp. subsidiary Pittsfield Solar, LLC in obtaining regulatory approvals for a 9.9-megawatt ground-mounted solar array to be located on 54 acres in Pittsfield, Maine. Verrill helped Pittsfield Solar obtain community-based renewable energy project certification from the Maine Public Utilities Commission ("PUC"), Maine PUC approval for waivers relating to the interconnection and power purchase agreements between Pittsfield Solar and Central...
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