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Adam Wenner

Senior Counsel

Washington, D.C.

Adam heads Orrick's Energy Regulatory Group. He has been active in the energy industry for more than 35 years.

As Deputy Assistant General Counsel at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Adam was instrumental in the development of the federal programs and policies that fostered the independent power industry, and his experience includes representing regulated electric utilities, independent power generators -- including some of the largest wind and solar projects in the United States -- as well as merchant transmission companies, before FERC, state utility commissions and NERC Regional Reliability Organizations. 

Adam also advises power project developers and financial institutions in transactions involving the development, financing, sale and purchase of energy projects, and he advises some of the largest U.S. companies in the development and implementation of FERC and NERC compliance programs.

Adam has authored many articles about the power industry in publications including Global Utilities Finance Report, International Power Finance Review, International Financial Law Review, Public Utilities Fortnightly, Electricity Journal and Energy Economist.

    • Energy East Corp. (now Avingrid) in its acquisitions of Central Maine Power Co., New York State Electric & Gas Co., and Berkshire Gas Co.
    • Major pipeline company in the first acquisition of a U.S. regulated electric utility company by a non-utility.
    • GE Energy Financial Services in its acquisition of SourceGas, with gas utility subsidiaries serving Arkansas, Colorado, Nebraska and Wyoming.
    • GE Energy Financial Services (GE EFS) in the sale to an affiliate of a global energy major of its 50.01% interest in Towantic Energy Holdings LLC, which owns a 49% interest in CPV Towantic LLC, operator of an 805 MW natural gas facility in Oxford, Connecticut.
    • GE EFS in a sale of its 24.95% share in Southeast PowerGen Holdings (Southeast) to co-investor The Carlyle Group. Southeast is the owner of a 3.2 GW portfolio of six generation assets in Georgia
    • Many of the nation’s largest wind energy developers in negotiations, dispute resolution and administrative litigation relating to transmission and interconnection arrangements. His representations include interconnection and transmission matters involving many utilities, as well as the California ISO, the Midwest ISO and the Southwest Power Pool.
    • Outside energy regulatory compliance officer for one of the largest companies in the United States, which has divisions involved in energy investments and conventional and renewable generation systems development.
    • Energy companies in setting up compliance systems and contested matters involving North American Electric Reliability Corporation electric reliability standards, applicable generation, and transmission owners and operators.
    • Tax equity investors in several major transactions involving acquisitions of interests in several wind energy project portfolios.
    • The U.S. subsidiary of a major Japanese trading company in the development of the first independent power project in the United States, and continues to represent that company in the development and acquisition of gas-fired and renewable energy projects.
    • A major bank in the financing of a wind portfolio in New York State.
    • A major wind developer in the acquisition of its parent company by a European utility company.
    • An Australian infrastructure fund in the acquisition of a U.S. gas and electric utility.
    • Investors in a $600 million undersea electric transmission line project.