About Blake
Blake Urban advises clients on regulatory matters in the electric industry before federal and state regulatory agencies and appellate courts. He represents clients before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) on matters under the Federal Power Act, Natural Gas Act, Public Utility Holding Company Act and Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act. After law school, Blake worked in the Office of the General Counsel for FERC, where he reviewed and analyzed filings and responsive pleadings submitted under the Federal Power Act, including Sections 205 and 206.
His experience includes obtaining FERC authorization for major projects and transactions, market- and cost-based rate authority for transmission generators, and natural gas storage, reactive power revenue requirements, open access transmission tariff matters, interconnection issues, regional transmission organization (RTO) and independent system operator (ISO) issues, and electric storage resource matters. Blake's practice also includes representing clients on various issues before administrative law judges.
He has represented clients in state electric regulatory proceedings in Florida and California involving complex issues of rate design and policy affecting the industry. In addition, Blake has represented clients in appeals from regulatory agency decisions before the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia and Ninth Circuits.
Experience
Recent Notable Matters
AP Energy Holdings Inc and South Field Energy LLC — $1.3 billion project financing and equity arrangements for the construction of the South Field Energy project, a 1,182 MW combined-cycle natural gas electric generating facility located near Wellsville, Ohio
GDF SUEZ Energy North America (ENGIE) — representing five of its subsidiaries in reactive power revenue requirement FPA Section 206 proceedings before FERC to determine just and reasonable rates; also assisted client with RTO/ISO registration and compliance
Alcoa Power Generating Inc. — drafting and filing pursuant to FPA Section 205 Open Access Transmission Tariffs, including development of transmission rates
Black Hills Power, Inc. — drafting and implementing transmission formula rate protocols, including annual informational filing
Central Maine Power Company — matters pertaining to FERC
New York State Electric & Gas Corporation — various transmission interconnection issues and service agreements; also advised on matters pertaining to transmission expansion
One of North America's leading energy infrastructure companies — litigation before FERC pertaining to wholesale sales of electricity during the 2000-2001 Western Energy Crisis and, separately, market-based rate authority for natural gas storage service*
* Work completed prior to Bracewell