Professional Experience

Tom Grim is a partner in the firm and has been practicing energy and public utility law for over 35 years.  Tom has represented clients in some of the most significant commercial transactions undertaken by consumer-owned electric utilities in the Pacific Northwest.  He has extensive experience in all areas of energy and public utility law, including:

  • Wholesale and retail power supply agreements
  • Risk management
  • Siting and construction of distribution and transmission infrastructure
  • Interconnection and transmission agreements
  • System financing
  • Asset acquisition and sales
  • Subsidiary formation
  • Development and financing of generation projects
  • Service territory issues
  • Renewable energy credit transactions

Tom has demonstrated expertise in agreements for the provision of electric service to large industrial loads, such as datacenter facilities.

Tom serves as General Counsel on all legal matters for several consumer-owned utilities in the region, including:

  • Umatilla Electric Cooperative
  • Central Electric Cooperative
  • Columbia Basin Electric Cooperative
  • Lakeview Light and Power

Tom is also retained as special legal counsel by numerous other utilities, including:

  • Eugene Water & Electric Board
  • Northern Wasco People’s Utility District
  • Klickitat County PUD
  • Grant County PUD
  • Richland Energy Services

Representative Work

  • Ongoing representation as General Corporate Counsel on all legal matters for the largest electric cooperative in the West, with $600 million in annual revenue.
  • Represented a utility client in the negotiation of wholesale electric purchase agreements for multiple large industrial loads, totaling over 400 MWs.
  • Represented a utility client in the negotiation of wholesale and retail electric service agreements for multiple large industrial loads, totaling over 700 MWs
  • Represented a utility client in the siting, construction and interconnection of a 23 mile long 230 kV transmission line. 
  • Represented a utility client in the negotiation and drafting of multiple agreements for the provision of retail electric service to a 70 MW paper mill located in Washington. The transaction included the acquisition of a 69 kV interstate transmission line crossing the Columbia River and associated permit and easement rights.
  • Assisted a utility client in the drafting of agreements necessary to provide 46 MW of demand response to the BPA from the largest steel mill in Oregon.
  • Represented a utility client in the interconnection and transmission of output from the largest solar generation facility in Oregon.
  • Represented a utility client in the negotiation of contracts necessary for the design, construction and commissioning of transmission level electrical substation, switchyards and associated transmission lines necessary to provide service to existing and new industrial loads totaling over 800 MWs.
  • Assisted a utility client in the negotiation and drafting of agreements for the sale of a 38 MW hydroelectric project located in Idaho and the transfer of the FERC license to the new owner.
  • Advised a utility client in multiple RUS and CFC loan and refinance transactions, including a $90 million RUS loan for system development.
  • Represented a utility client in drafting a Lease and O&M Agreement for a shared substation to be jointly operated with another utility.
  • Represented a public utility client before FERC and state courts in the successful defense of a $97 million refund claim.
  • Assisted a utility client in drafting and adopting open access generation interconnection and transmission policies. Ongoing representation of the client in implementing the policies and procedures while processing over 570 MW of interconnection and transmission requests.
  • Represented the joint owner of a decommissioned nuclear generation facility to recover $27 million in damages from the federal government for continued delay in the permanent disposal of spent nuclear fuel.
  • Assisted Washington and Oregon utility clients in drafting and adopting revisions to corporate By-laws.
  • Represented a cooperative entity consisting of 22 regional consumer-owned utilities with respect to the acquisition of non-federal power to meet wholesale power needs.
  • Represented a joint ownership entity in obtaining $4.3 million insurance recovery for casualty damage to a generation facility and resulting outage.
  • Advised a utility client in connection with the refinance of its ownership share in a 200 MW wind farm.
  • Advised a financial institution in the purchase and leaseback of a large solar facility in Oregon.

Professional Activities

  • Tom is a member of the Federal Energy Bar Association and the NRECA Electric Cooperative Bar Association.

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(503) 224-3092

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