Hydropower and Water

Spiegel & McDiarmid LLP’s hydropower and water practice combines expertise and a willingness to craft game-changing arguments to find solutions for our clients. Our hydro practice involves a wide range of counseling, negotiation, and litigation before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and the courts to resolve issues in virtually all aspects of federal hydropower regulation.  We also represent hydropower clients in FERC rulemakings and provide guidance on legislative and policy issues.  When asked, we have represented clients in the courts in matters related to the federal power marketing agencies and other federal entities that own and operate hydropower projects.  As with other Spiegel practice areas, many of our clients are municipal entities; but we also represent private hydropower developers, Indian tribes and groups of local stakeholders in hydropower matters.

We recognize that hydro development and regulation are multi-faceted, and that achieving hydro projects consistent with the public interest requires balancing multiple uses and values.  Our work therefore encompasses a broad range of substantive issues, including environmental impacts and mitigation, power supply, water supply, recreation, scenic impacts, historical preservation, shoreline uses and management and local economic development.  The firm’s extensive practice in electric rates and contracting, the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act and reliability compliance adds to the depth of the advice that we can provide to our hydro clients.

With our lawyers’ wide experience and knowledge, we believe that our practice group is well able to advance our clients’ goals in this complex area.