Municipal Strategies

Sonnenschein attorneys have played a leading role in the changing energy market to help communities form municipal utilities, seek alternative sources of power, and find other ways to ensure reliable service or reduce electric bills.  We have helped form new municipal electric utilities, and negotiated favorable electric and gas franchises and streetlight purchases.

Our lawyers litigated the first stranded cost case for the FERC and the first exit fee case before the New York Public Service Commission.  In addition to identifying the optimal legal, economic and technical strategic options for our clients, we have the ability to assess whether a community's political climate will encourage interested parties to jointly pursue transmission access and franchise negotiation.