The electric utility sector has long been shaped by the steady hand of regulation. For decades, utility commissions have balanced the needs of reliability, affordability and fairness against the realities of capital...more
12/3/2025
/ Artificial Intelligence ,
Data Centers ,
Economic Development ,
Economic Growth ,
Electricity ,
Energy Policy ,
Infrastructure ,
Investment ,
Power Grid ,
Regulatory Oversight ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Transmission Grid ,
Transmission Planning
The power driving AI comes not only from algorithms, but from the electricity that fuels them.
In this episode of the Renewable Energy SmartPod, V&E partner Jeffrey Jakubiak discusses how rapid data center growth is...more
The power driving #AI comes not only from algorithms, but from the electricity that fuels them.
In this episode of the Renewable Energy SmartPod, V&E partner Jeffrey Jakubiak discusses how rapid #datacenter growth is...more
The Supreme Court held a marathon, nearly 3-hour oral argument yesterday, in what could be the most economically-impactful cases this Term: Learning Resources, Inc. v. Trump and Trump v. V.O.S. Selections (the “Tariff...more
11/7/2025
/ Constitutional Challenges ,
Customs and Border Protection ,
Foreign Policy ,
Imports ,
International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) ,
International Trade ,
Non-Delegation Doctrine ,
Oral Argument ,
Risk Management ,
SCOTUS ,
Supply Chain ,
Tariffs ,
Trump Administration ,
US Trade Policies
On October 23, 2025, Department of Energy Secretary Chris Wright, relying on his authority under Section 403 of the Department of Energy Organization Act, directed the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (the “Commission” or...more
10/31/2025
/ Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) ,
Data Centers ,
Department of Energy (DOE) ,
Electricity ,
Energy Policy ,
Energy Sector ,
FERC ,
Government Agencies ,
Interconnections ,
Proposed Rules ,
Regulatory Authority ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Rulemaking Process ,
Transmission Grid
On September 3, Jason Fleischer, Joyce Adetutu, and Jeffrey Jakubiak will present a CLE program titled “Impact of Tariffs on Energy and Infrastructure.” This session will explore how rising global tariffs—and those proposed...more
As the Trump administration continues to roll out its sweeping tariff policy, the North American energy industry is working to address the effects of the President’s tariff strategy. The Trump administration intends to...more
7/31/2025
/ Canada ,
Clean Energy ,
Energy Sector ,
Imports ,
International Trade ,
Mexico ,
Steel Industry ,
Supply Chain ,
Tariffs ,
Trump Administration ,
US Trade Policies
The White House recently unveiled “America’s AI Action Plan,” a comprehensive strategy designed to secure United States leadership in the global artificial intelligence race. The plan is built on three foundational pillars:...more
7/29/2025
/ Artificial Intelligence ,
Clean Water Act ,
Cybersecurity ,
Data Centers ,
Department of Defense (DOD) ,
Energy Consumption ,
Energy Sector ,
Executive Orders ,
Government Agencies ,
Infrastructure ,
National Security ,
Power Grid ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Semiconductors ,
Supply Chain ,
Technology Sector
On April 8 and 9, 2025, President Donald Trump issued five Presidential Actions (four Executive Orders and one Proclamation, collectively “Presidential Actions”) for the purposes of ensuring adequate and reliable energy...more
On April 8, 2025, President Trump issued an Executive Order titled “Protecting American Energy From State Overreach” (the “Executive Order”), which directs the United States Attorney General to identify and halt the...more
The below article is a summary of the Energy-related Executive Orders that have been issued this week by the Administration. Vinson & Elkins will provide a detailed substantive analysis of the Orders for clients in the coming...more
For more than twenty years, the North American Free Trade Agreement (“NAFTA”), and later, the United States‑Mexico-Canada Agreement (“USMCA”), have facilitated cross-border trade and investment among the United States,...more
2/13/2025
/ Canada ,
Energy Policy ,
Energy Sector ,
Executive Orders ,
Imports ,
International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) ,
International Trade ,
NAFTA ,
Tariffs ,
Trump Administration ,
United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) ,
US Trade Policies
In 2016, a new play called Hamilton was dominating Broadway, Pokémon Go was all the rage, and the Summer Olympics were held in Rio. Also that year, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (“Commission” or “FERC”) issued an...more
1/15/2025
/ Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) ,
Administrative Procedure Act ,
Constitutional Challenges ,
Energy Sector ,
Enforcement ,
Enforcement Actions ,
FERC ,
Government Agencies ,
Judicial Review ,
Natural Gas ,
Penalties ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
SEC v Jarkesy ,
Settlement
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s (“FERC” or “Commission”) Office of Enforcement (“Enforcement”) continues to focus on enforcing its duty of candor rules, with a recent action resulting in a $6.6 million civil...more
On October 17, 2024, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (“FERC” or the “Commission”) issued an Order on Remand (the “Order”) following the D.C. Circuit’s August 2022 decision in MISO Transmission Owners v. FERC,...more
The first half of 2024 was eventful in the world of environmental, social and governance (“ESG”). Although ESG continued to lose the market tailwinds that have pushed it forward in recent years, regulatory pressures both...more
10/18/2024
/ Corporate Governance ,
Corporate Social Responsibility ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) ,
Greenwashing ,
Non-Compete Agreements ,
Proxy Season ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Shareholders ,
Sustainability
Since generative AI burst into the mainstream, companies have raced to capitalize on its extraordinary promise. But as with any technological frontier, this promise does not come without risks, and companies can expect to...more
6/25/2024
/ Algorithms ,
Antitrust Violations ,
Artificial Intelligence ,
Competition ,
Critical Infrastructure Sectors ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Electricity ,
Innovative Technology ,
Intellectual Property Protection ,
Inventions ,
Market Manipulation ,
Transmission Grid ,
USPTO
The story of artificial intelligence (“AI”) is one of technological promise and societal challenge, and its impact on the U.S. electric power grid is fast becoming a pivotal chapter. The promise is compelling. AI could...more
6/4/2024
/ Artificial Intelligence ,
Clean Energy ,
Cybersecurity ,
Data Centers ,
Department of Energy (DOE) ,
Energy Consumption ,
FERC ,
Interconnections ,
Machine Learning ,
Popular ,
Power Grid ,
Tax Incentives ,
Transmission Grid ,
Transmission Planning
On May 13, 2024, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (“FERC” or “Commission”) established “a new foundation” upon which new electric transmission facilities can be planned, paid for, and built. The Commission did so...more
5/17/2024
/ Cost Allocation ,
Department of Energy (DOE) ,
Eminent Domain ,
Energy Sector ,
Environmental Justice ,
Federal Power Act ,
FERC ,
Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) ,
NEPA ,
Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NOPR) ,
Transmission Planning
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has finalized a host of new requirements for fossil-fueled power plants, including new source performance standards (“NSPS”) for new and modified coal- and gas-fired plants and...more
The United States electric grid is becoming increasingly stressed as the nation navigates the energy transition and demand for electricity rises. On May 1, 2024, recognizing the stress on the grid and the need for additional...more
On March 19, 2024, the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (“NERC”) asked the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (“FERC”) to approve revisions to NERC’s Rules of Procedure (“ROP”) that would require certain...more
Over the past few years, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (“FERC” or the “Commission”) and the Department of Energy (“DOE”) have proposed many rules to support the Biden Administration’s push to build transmission...more
On November 16, 2023, the Department of Energy (“DOE”) issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (“NOPR”) that would amend DOE’s regulations implementing the National Environmental Policy Act (“NEPA”) to add a categorical...more
We have recently seen an increase in audits by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s (“FERC”) Office of Enforcement (“OE”) that take issue with the way electric utilities and interstate natural gas pipelines allocate...more