NEW YORK – June 16, 2016 – Gregory K. Lawrence, an energy shareholder at the global law firm Greenberg Traurig, LLP, recently led a panel entitled, "Evolving Trends Influencing Change in the Northeast Region," at the Platts 11th Annual Northeast Power & Gas Conference in New York City.
The panel included industry leaders and market analysts and experts and addressed the following topics:
- With imminent coal/nuclear plant-retirements occurring in the Northeast, is there sufficient existing generation to meet demand, or could new-build be on the horizon?
- How might decommissioned plants factor into maintaining a reliable grid? Is this even an option?
- What might be the prospective fuel mix over the next five years?
- Which renewable resources will continue to dominate the generation portfolio in the Northeast?
- How renewable additions could stem the need for new gas resources.
- Regulations—Meeting state and federal environmental/carbon mandates.
- The Clean Power Plan—possible implications for RGGI and the potential expansion of standards.
- Could out-of-market contracts be necessary? Are there other business models?
- The future of New York’s call for 50 percent renewables.
Lawrence focuses his practice on the electricity and natural gas industries. He has appeared before the FERC and multiple state utility commissions regarding regulatory proceedings, compliance and enforcement investigations, capacity and energy market structure, transactions and negotiations, asset transfers, and governmental affairs. His clients include financial institutions and funds, marketers, traders, renewable and other project developers, municipal and investor-owned utilities, and large energy consumers.