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Overview
William DeGrandis is a partner in the Corporate practice of Paul Hastings and is based in the firm’s Washington, D.C., office. He has over 30 years experience in the energy regulatory and transactions area and has represented clients before both state and federal regulatory commissions in power supply, transmission, merchant plant, merger, ratemaking, cogeneration, hydroelectric, utility holding company and related matters. He is actively involved in advising clients on regulatory and transactional matters relating to restructuring and open access transmission matters, including Regional Transmission Organization and Exempt Wholesale Generator issues. He has negotiated electric power purchase/sale, interchange, transmission, energy swap, operating, and project development agreements. He has represented renewable energy clients with regard to interconnection, transmission, power sale, and other related arrangements.
He has represented renewable energy (including solar, wind, hydro and biomass) clients with regard to interconnection, transmission, power sale, and other related arrangements.
Recognitions
- Chambers USA, Energy: Electricity (Regulatory & Litigation), 2024
- The Legal 500 USA, Energy Regulation: Conventional Power (2021-2022)
- The Legal 500 USA, Project Finance (2022)
- Named by Chambers USA as an outstanding energy attorney
Education
- University of California at Los Angeles School of Law, J.D., 1980
- Pennsylvania State University, B.A., 1977
Representations
- Represent York Haven Power Company in its relicensing application before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (“FERC”) and assist with related negotiation with resource agencies
- Represented Oglethorpe Power Corporation on contractual, licensing and compliance issues for the 800 MW Rocky Mountain Pumped Storage Hydro Unit in Georgia
- Yahoo! and Facebook in negotiation of electric power purchase agreements for new data centers in New York (Yahoo!) and in Oregon and North Carolina (Facebook)
- Negotiated “Green” power purchase arrangements for supply of the “Green” power for Boeing’s new Dreamliner Aircraft Assembly Plant in South Carolina. Boeing will purchase power from an on-site solar facility and from other green power resources for its electric power requirements.
- Secured a cutting-edge Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (“FERC”) approval for a sale/buyback transaction for Idaho Wind Partners I that will enable a 185 MW wind farm in Idaho to sell its electricity to a local utility and to sell its Renewable Energy Credits into California. FERC confirmed that a sell/buyback structure will not violate its market manipulation rules and the facility would maintain its benefits as a Qualifying Facility under PURPA
- Served as regulatory co-counsel to MX Energy in its merger with Constellation Energy Group
- Counsel to Korea East-West Power (“EWP”) and led the FERC/energy regulatory team with regard to EWP’s purchase of certain biomass facilities from Marubeni and played a similar role in EWP’s acquisition of an interest in the Jamaica Public Utility System
- Led the FERC energy regulatory team in connection with the $1.477 billion sale by ConEd Development of certain merchant generation plants to IFM (and its newly created U.S. subsidiary), and secured FERC approval of the sale
- Led the FERC energy regulatory team with regard to KeyBank’s financing of two merchant one facilities within the PJM system
news
- Paul Hastings Advised Morgan Stanley Infrastructure Partners in the Acquisition of a Majority Stake in UltraEdge - November 22nd, 2023
- Paul Hastings Recognized by Chambers Global 2022 - February 21st, 2022
- Paul Hastings Ranked as Top Three Firm for New Rankings and Recognized for Numerous Practice Strength and Growth in Chambers USA 2021 - May 21st, 2021
- Paul Hastings Represented Caithness Energy in Sale of 845MW Shepherd’s Flat Wind Farm - March 25th, 2021
- Paul Hastings’ Lawyers Recognized as 2021 Acritas Stars Across Key Practice Areas - March 24th, 2021
- Colony Capital Leads $1.2 Billion Investment in Vantage Data Centers - July 8th, 2020
- Paul Hastings Practices and Lawyers Score Top Rankings in Chambers USA 2020 - May 1st, 2020
- Paul Hastings Practices and Lawyers Score Top Rankings in Chambers USA 2019 - May 1st, 2019
- 14 Paul Hastings Lawyers Named 2018 Acritas Stars - August 17th, 2018
- Lotus Midstream to Acquire Centurion Crude Oil Pipeline and Related Assets in Texas, New Mexico and Oklahoma from Occidental Petroleum Corporation - August 8th, 2018
- Paul Hastings Practices and Lawyers Score Top Rankings in Chambers USA 2018 - May 11th, 2018
- Paul Hastings Practices and Lawyers Score Top Rankings in Chambers USA 2017 - June 5th, 2017
- Paul Hastings Practices and Lawyers Score Top Rankings in Chambers USA 2016 - June 8th, 2016
- Tall Oak Midstream Sells TOM-STACK, LLC and TOMPC LLC to EnLink Midstream - December 7th, 2015
- Paul Hastings Practices and Lawyers Score Top Rankings in Chambers USA 2015 - May 20th, 2015
- Crestwood Equity Partners LP And Crestwood Midstream Partners LP Announce $7.5 Billion Merger - May 6th, 2015
- Paul Hastings Advised on the Financing of Chief Power Finance, LLC’s Acquisition of Coal-Fired Power Plants in Pennsylvania - December 31st, 2014
- Paul Hastings Advises Banks Arranging $550 Million Financing for Carlyle Group’s Acquisition of Southeast PowerGen - December 3rd, 2014
- Paul Hastings Practices and Lawyers Score Top Rankings in Chambers USA 2014 - May 27th, 2014
- Paul Hastings WDC Energy Team Scores Important Victory for Renewable Energy - July 5th, 2013
Recognitions
- Paul Hastings Recognized by Chambers Global 2022 - February 21st, 2022
- Recognized by Chambers USA 2021 - May 21st, 2021
- Recognized by Chambers USA 2020 - May 1st, 2020
- Ranked by Chambers USA 2019 - April 26th, 2019
- Recognized as Acritas Stars by Sharplegal - August 23rd, 2018
- Recognized by Chambers USA 2018 - May 15th, 2018
- Recognized by Chambers USA 2017 - June 5th, 2017
- Recognized by Chambers USA 2016 - June 8th, 2016
insights
- FERC Issues Landmark Transmission Planning Order - July 11th, 2024
- State of Electric Interconnection and Transmission Regulation: Staying Alert to Imminent Developments and Getting Involved - April 16th, 2024
- FERC Proposes Rule to Prohibit Reactive Power Compensation for Generators - March 29th, 2024
- Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Issues Final Rule Overhauling Interconnection Procedures - August 21st, 2023
- NERC Issues a Gust of Recommendations in Wake of Panhandle Disturbance - November 8th, 2022
- Impact of Inflation Reduction Act on Electricity Transmission and Offshore Wind Development - August 19th, 2022
- Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Announces Major Overhaul of its Interconnection Procedures - August 9th, 2022
- DOE Initiates Program to Bring Resources of The National Labs to bear on Interconnection Reform - June 13th, 2022
- FERC NOPR on Transmission Planning, Cost Allocation, and Certain Generation Interconnection Issues - May 12th, 2022
- FERC Releases Draft Policy Statement on Greenhouse Gas Emissions for Natural Gas Projects - April 18th, 2022
- It’s Not Easy Going Green - March 15th, 2022
- Contractual Review and Investigations Resulting from the Texas Energy Crisis - March 3rd, 2021
- Beneficial Ownership Disclosure Soon to be Required in the United States, Shifting the Burden From Financial Institutions to Companies - December 16th, 2020
- FERC Updates Tolling Order Practice in Wake of D.C. Circuit Opinion - July 15th, 2020
- Department of Energy Issues Request for Information to Bolster Bulk Power System Executive Order - July 14th, 2020
- D.C. Circuit Bars FERC Tolling Orders on Rehearing, Upending Agency’s Review Process - July 8th, 2020
- Comment Deadline Approaches for FERC’s Proposed Transmission Incentives Rule - May 20th, 2020
- Executive Order Restricts Acquisition of Bulk Power System Equipment from Foreign Adversaries - May 12th, 2020
- Billions of Dollars at Stake in New Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Inquiries Into Its ROE and Electric Transmission Incentive Policies - April 22nd, 2019
- Effects of President Trump’s Executive Order Requiring Review of Federal Cybersecurity Policies on the Electric Power Industry - May 24th, 2017
Engagement & Publications
- “Power Considerations in Siting Data Centers,” Data Center Knowledge (February 8, 2011)
- “Administration to Face Electric Transmission Challenges,” Electric Light & Power (March/April 2009)
- Moderator of the panel on Interconnection and Transmission Issues Facing Wind Projects, Infocast Wind Summit (February 2011) (San Diego, CA)
Involvement
- Member of the Infrastructure and Energy Group at Paul Hastings
- Member of the District of Columbia and American Bar Associations, and is a member of the Energy/Natural Resources and Public Utility Sections, respectively
- Member of the Board of Directors of EBA and chairman of the EBA Pro Bono Committee
- Energy Bar Association, Board of Directors (Spring 2008 – Spring 2011)
- Energy Bar Association, Pro Bono Committee (Board level committee) — Member (2009 – present); Chair (2010 – present)
- Energy Bar Association, Electricity Regulation Committee (former chairman and Member)