PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Tyler Whitney is a partner in Cable Huston’s Energy and Utility and Government Entities practice groups. Prior to joining Cable Huston, Tyler was General Counsel for a Washington public utility district, where he also served in several other roles, including as Assistant General Manager. Tyler currently serves as general counsel for multiple public utility districts and special counsel for a number of other public agencies and utilities around the Pacific Northwest. Tyler previously worked for a Spokane law firm practicing in complex commercial litigation and served as the Mayor’s Policy Advisor at the City of Spokane.
Tyler regularly advises utility and local government clients regarding:
- Wholesale and retail power contracts
- Power services for industrial customers and data centers
- Renewable energy project development and power purchase agreements
- Interconnection agreements and procedures, including FERC’s pro forma large and small generator interconnection agreements
- Easements, rights-of-way, franchises, leases, and licenses
- Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) power and transmission contracts and policies
- PURPA contracts and compliance
- Utility litigation and appeals
- Administrative investigations, hearings, and appeals
- Utility ratemaking and service policies
- Public contracting and procurement laws
- Pole attachment agreements
- Interlocal agreements
- Service territory issues
- Employment matters
- Board governance, ethics, and open-government matters
- Audit risk mitigation and response
Representative Work
- General counsel for multiple Washington public utility districts
- General counsel for a Washington public facilities district
- Special counsel for a Washington municipal electric utility to negotiate power supply agreements with a large industrial customer
- Special litigation counsel for a Washington port district to resolve a dispute under Washington’s Voting Rights Act
- Special litigation counsel for an Idaho municipal electric utility in a dispute with a large industrial customer, resulting in a complete defense verdict following trial and an award of attorney fees
- Special counsel for one of the nation’s largest public power utilities regarding BPA contracts and other power resources
- Lead transaction counsel for a large mining company in obtaining interconnection and power services
- Special counsel for a consortium of international banks financing a battery storage project
- Represented numerous public and consumer-owned utilities in negotiating interconnection, transmission, and power service agreements with large industrial customers, including data centers, cryptocurrency miners, and renewable energy developers
- Represented multiple public and consumer-owned utilities in remarketing surplus energy resources, including using WSPP confirmations and bespoke power sales agreements
- Counsel for a Washington public utility district achieving FERC approval of a major hydropower project license amendment and attendant off-license settlement agreement
Community Involvement
- Affiliate Committee Member – Spokane Teachers Credit Union
- Board Member – Mid-Columbia Children’s Museum
- Board Member – Community Advisory Board, Thomas S. Foley Institute for Public Policy and Public Service at Washington State University