Bio

Chris Zentz has a wide-ranging electric practice that includes regular involvement in both energy transactions and regulatory proceedings before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, State utility commissions, and Bonneville Power Administration. Chris applies his business background to counsel clients on transactions, in due diligence, and to successfully obtain any necessary authorizations under Section 203 of the Federal Power Act. His experience includes renewable resource development along with the negotiation of transactions involving power, transmission, and storage resources. Chris’ transactional experience also extends to obtaining market-based rate authorizations from FERC and in counseling clients on compliance with the Federal statutes such as the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act and Public Utility Holding Company Act. Chris’ regulatory practice focuses on transmission and ancillary service rate cases, Open Access Transmission Tariff compliance, generator interconnection issues, the FERC Standards of Conduct, interlocking directorate issues, and transmission planning. Chris enjoys working with a wide-ranging client base that reflects all sectors of the energy industry, including investor-owned utilities, public power entities, independent power producers, renewable developers, investors, governmental entities, and power marketers. Having worked in-house and previously owned his own business, Chris can relate to the pressures, demands, and deadlines his clients face. Drawing on this experience, Chris brings a practical, solutions-focused approach to timely achieving his clients’ goals. Chris enmeshes himself in his clients’ businesses to better understand the underlying legal needs and goals, thereby allowing him to tailor his legal advice in a way that maximizes the chances of success and achieves his clients’ desired outcome.