Richard G. Lorenz

Practice Areas

• Energy and Public Utility Law
• Environmental and Natural Resources Law
• Litigation
• Sports and Entertainment Law

Articles

• Legal Implementations of Lehman Brothers Bankruptcy
• Lessons Learned from the Klamath River Basin Settlement Agreements
• Negotiating Prepaid Electricity Purchases
• Show Me the Money
• Simple Steps to Protect Your Utility If Your Power Supplier is Headed for Bankruptcy
• Does the Uniform Commercial Code Apply to Power Purchase or Sale Agreements?

Education

• Linfield College, B.A., 1997, magna cum laude
• Harvard Law School, J.D., 2000, cum laude
       Deputy Editor-in-Chief, Harvard Negotiation Law Review

Professional Experience

Richard Lorenz works on siting and financing power generation projects, drafting power sale and purchase agreements, the acquisition and/or disposition of utility assets, derivative transactions for risk management, dispute resolution, and other general regulatory matters.

Mr. Lorenz has worked on all types of generating facilities, including hydroelectric, gas-fired, steam cogeneration, wind, geothermal, biomass, biodiesel, hydrokinetic and nuclear projects. He has participated in proceedings before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Oregon Public Utility Commission, and state and federal courts.

Mr. Lorenz has recently worked on the following representative projects:

• Along with Larry Cable, represented the City of Klamath Falls, Oregon in connection with the sale of a 500 MW cogeneration plant for nearly $300 million.
• Helped represent the Eugene Water & Electric Board in connection with regulatory proceedings before FERC as well as state and federal litigation arising out of the California Energy Crisis.
• Represented the Tillamook Peoples' Utility District on various pole attachment issues.
• Advised the Klamath Water Users Association in connection with irrigation power rates in the Upper Klamath Basin and the relicensing of the Klamath Hydroelectric Project.
• Helped advise the Western Generation Agency in connection with the refinancing of more than $50 million in bonds issued for the Wauna Cogeneration Project.
• Drafted a master agreement for the purchase and sale of renewable energy certificates.
• Helped negotiate a power purchase agreement for the output of a geothermal power plant.
• Worked on the creation of the Tillamook Intergovernmental Development Agency for the purpose of permitting and developing a tidal generating facility in Tillamook Bay.

Professional Activities

• Member, Oregon State Bar, Energy, Telecom & Utility Law, Environmental & Natural Resources, and Government Law Sections
• Member, Oregon City Attorneys Association
• Member, National Association of Bond Lawyers

Publications

• Urban Lawyer, “Good Fences Make Bad Neighbors: Negotiating Better Communities in the Shadow of Local Government Law” (2001)
• Oregon State Bar, Environmental & Natural Resources Section publication, Outlook, coauthored “Avoiding Double Penalties for Violations of Water Pollution Control Laws” chapter with Don Haagensen (2000)

Admitted to Practice

• Oregon State Courts
• Washington State Courts
• United States District Court, District of Oregon
• United States Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit