Public Utilities
The lawyers at Snell & Wilmer have served public utility clients since the formation of the firm 75 years ago. We currently advise clients (both utilities and their customers) in connection with a wide variety of matters including:
- Determination of utility rates
- Litigation of service disputes, antitrust issues and appeals of agency decisions
- Transactions (including debt and stock offerings, sales of utility property, utility service agreements, acquisitions and divestitures, etc.)
- Proceedings for certification of new utilities and expansion of existing certificates
- Power plant and transmission line siting
- Electric and telecommunications restructuring/deregulation issues
- Legislative drafting and rulemaking
We also assist clients in complying with the statutes and regulations applicable to public service corporations. Much of our “compliance” work for utility clients involves identification and resolution of problem areas before they rise to the level of complaint proceedings or adversarial hearings. In recent years, the firm has become extensively involved in the deregulation and restructuring of the nation’s electric and telecommunications industries through participation in regulatory proceedings, drafting landmark deregulation legislation and related appellate litigation. Our services have been on behalf of incumbent utilities, new competitive entrants, and customers seeking to take advantage of opportunities for lower rates, new products and services, and different service providers.
In addition to representing Arizona’s largest electric utility, we represent other electric and natural gas utility companies, telephone companies, cellular telephone companies and water utility companies. In connection with these services, the utilities lawyers at Snell & Wilmer are also able to call on specialists in such areas as real estate, environmental, business and finance, tax, labor relations and tribal law who have experience in the unique aspects of those practice areas as applied to utility services.
Our Public Utilities lawyers are well-versed in issues affecting all our utilities clients, whether they provide electricity, gas, water and wastewater, or communications services, both wireline and wireless. With more than a half century of experience in this area, Snell & Wilmer brings a wealth of knowledge that enhances our representation at every level.