Appellate Briefs

D.C. Cir. No. 23-1133 Order affirming ALJ initial decision, that SPP proposal to place Nixa transmission facilities in Zone 10 is consistent with cost causation principles and is otherwise just and reasonable. Southwest Power Pool, Inc., 182 FERC ¶ 61,141 (2023), order on reh’g, 184 FERC ¶ 61,004 (2023).

D.C. Cir. Nos. 22-1335 and 23-1111 Order accepting proposed tariff revisions, to establish a seasonal resource adequacy construct, subject to condition.  Midcontinent Independent System Operator, Inc., 180 FERC ¶ 61,141 (2022), order on reh’g, 182 FERC ¶ 61,096 (2023).  

6th Cir. No. 21-4072, et al. Order on paper hearing, finding that Dayton does not qualify for 50 basis point ROE adder for continued membership in PJM.  Dayton Power and Light Co., 176 FERC ¶ 61,025 (2021), order on reh’g, 178 FERC ¶ 61,102 (2022).  Order on complaint, regarding whether Ohio utilities are eligible for a 50 basis point adder to the authorized return on equity for RTO participation.  Office of the Ohio Consumers’ Counsel v. American Electric Power Service Corporation, et al., 181 FERC ¶ 61,214 (2022), order on reh’g, 183 FERC ¶ 61,034 (2023).  

3rd Cir. No. 23-1778, et al. Order accepting PJM proposal to exclude planned generation capacity resources from the calculation of the Locational Deliverability Area Reliability Requirement if the addition of such resources materially increases the reliability requirement and such resources do not participate in the capacity auction.  PJM Interconnection, L.L.C., 182 FERC ¶ 61,109 (2023), order on reh’g, 184 FERC 61,055 (2023).   

D.C. Cir. No. 23-1040 Order affirming ALJ’s initial decision, that accepted MISO filings to: (1) include Henderson Municipal Power and Light as a transmission owner in MISO’s Rate Zone 27 (the Big Rivers pricing zone); and (2) allow Henderson to recover its portion of its revenue requirement related to certain transmission facilities located in that pricing zone.  Midcontinent Independent System Operator, Inc., Opinion No. 580, 181 FERC ¶ 61,056 (2022), order on reh’g, 182 FERC ¶ 61,095 (2023).  

D.C. Cir. No. 23-1042, et al. Order, following ALJ hearing and initial decision, granting application for market-based rates.  MPLX Ozark Pipe Line LLC, Opinion No. 578, 180 FERC ¶ 61,053 (2022), order on reh’g, Opinion No. 578-A, 181 FERC ¶ 61,242 (2023).

D.C. Cir. Nos. 23-1064, et al. Order authorizing construction and operation of the Regional Energy Access Expansion pipeline project in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.  Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Co., LLC, 182 FERC ¶ 61,006 (2023), order on reh’g, 182 FERC ¶ 61,148 (2023). 

D.C. Cir. No. 20-5203 New supplemental brief, following 8/7/23 supplemental brief, addressing the implications of Section 324 of the recent Fiscal Responsibility Act, as applied to challenge to Mountain Valley Pipeline certificate, filed in district court after D.C. Circuit had affirmed the FERC certificate.   

D.C. Cir. Nos. 23-1094 & 23-1215 Order on complaints, directing NextEra Seabrook to replace the breaker at Seabrook Nuclear Generating Station pursuant to its obligations under the Seabrook Interconnection Agreement and Good Utility Practice.  NextEra Energy Seabrook, LLC, 182 FERC ¶ 61,044 (2023), order on reh’g, 183 FERC ¶ 61,196 (2023).

D.C. Cir. Nos. 22-1116, et al. Series of related orders, concerning whether sellers can justify certain summer 2020 spot market sales that exceeded the WECC soft price cap, and in some cases directing refunds. Shell Energy North America (US), L.P., 179 FERC ¶ 61,034 (2022), order on reh’g, 180 FERC ¶ 61,182 (2022), and other orders involving other sellers [consolidated appeal of 36 petitions for review, filed by sellers and the California Pub. Utils. Comm’n].

D.C. Cir. Nos. 23-1069 & 23-1071  Order granting authorization to site, construct, and operate a natural gas liquefaction and export facility, including an NGA section 3 natural gas pipeline, in Cameron Parish, Louisiana (Commonwealth LNG Project).  Commonwealth LNG, LLC, 181 FERC ¶ 61,143 (2022), order on reh’g, 183 FERC ¶ 61,173 (2023).  

S. Ct. No. 22-601 (US) Brief of amicus curiae United States in response to a petition for a writ of certiorari challenging a Fifth Circuit decision in NextEra Energy Capital Holdings, Inc. v. Lake, 48 F.4th 306 (5th Cir. 2022), in which the court held that a Texas law granting in state developers a right of first refusal to construct transmission lines constitutes a facial violation of the Dormant Commerce Clause.

D.C. Cir. No. 20-5203 Opposition to Plaintiff-Appellants' Emergency Motion for Injunctive Relief

D.C. Cir. No. 23-1031, et al. Order granting motion requesting a 26-month extension of time, until August 1, 2028, to complete the construction of and make available for service the Train 4 Project authorized in May 2019.  Freeport LNG Development,  L.P., and FLNG Liquefaction 4, LLC, 181 FERC ¶ 61,023 (2022), order on reh’g, 182 FERC ¶ 61,112 (2023).

9th Cir. Nos. 20-72432(L), et al. Response in Opposition to Motion for Attorneys Fees Under Equal Access to Justice Act

S. Ct. No. 22-1246  Response in opposition to petition for a writ of certiorari, seeking Supreme Court review of 2/14/23 decision of the D.C. Circuit in Solar Energy Indus. Ass’n v. FERC, affirming Commission’s order certificating that proposed hybrid solar photovoltaic facility is a qualifying small power production facility pursuant to the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978.  Broadview Solar, LLC, 174 FERC ¶ 61,199 (2021), order on reh’g, 175 FERC ¶ 61,228 (2021).    

8th Cir. Nos. 23-1520, et al.

D.C. Cir. Nos. 20-1283 & 20-1352 Order on cost responsibility for Required Transmission Enhancements that are included in the PJM Regional Transmission Expansion Plan.  PJM Interconnection, L.L.C., 170 FERC ¶ 61,295 (2020), order on reh’g, 172 FERC ¶ 61,205 (2020).    

D.C. Cir No. 22-1018 Post-judgment motion seeking clarification regarding Commission’s authority to act on a rate filing at any time before the proposed effective date.  

D.C. Cir. Nos. 21-1272, et al. Order rejecting Affected System Operator Agreement between Duke Energy Progress, the affected system operator, and American  Beech Solar, the interconnection customer.  Duke Energy Progress, LLC, 177 FERC ¶ 61,001 (2021), order on reh’g, 179 FERC ¶ 61,007 (2022). Order accepting unexecuted operating agreement between Duke and Edgecombe Solar.  Duke Energy Progress, LLC, 180 FERC ¶ 61,005 (2022), order on reh’g, 181 FERC ¶ 61,197 (2022).