Steven represents energy project developers, independent power producers, private equity and infrastructure funds, commercial and corporate end users of energy, and clean energy trade groups across a broad spectrum of high-stakes legal and business matters. His practice encompasses handling federal and state regulatory issues involving the power sector, with a particular emphasis on matters involving wholesale power markets, advising clients on emerging issues in the energy sector, and counseling clients on energy transactional and project development matters.
Leveraging his experience in private practice, as an in-house attorney, and with the government, Steve provides his clients with practical and creative solutions to a broad range of challenges. He often effectively combines elements of regulatory, transactional, litigation, and policy advocacy to think beyond his clients’ immediate legal needs and help them achieve their ultimate goals.
In his regulatory practice, Steven provides strategic advice and counseling, prepares Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) filings in support of transactions, and manages negotiations and dispute resolution proceedings. He also leads administrative litigation, rulemaking and ratemaking proceedings before FERC and state regulatory agencies, and has experience appealing FERC decisions to federal courts of appeals. Steven also has a significant transactional practice that includes advising parties seeking to develop, own, operate, and finance utility-scale renewable energy projects, distributed energy resources, green hydrogen projects, microgrids, and EV-charging networks. In addition, Steven has extensive experience representing entities in transactions seeking to both sell and purchase clean energy.
Prior to joining Mintz, Steven was a member at an international law firm, where he represented clients in regulatory and transactional matters involving energy issues. In addition to other experience in private practice, Steven was previously in-house counsel at PJM Interconnection, the United States’ largest Regional Transmission Organization. In that role, he worked on a wide range of issues related to PJM’s markets, operations, and planning functions. He began his career at FERC, serving as an attorney-advisor in the agency’s Office of Administrative Law Judges.
A recognized thought leader, Steven regularly speaks at industry events and writes articles on opportunities and challenges impacting renewable energy resources and emerging energy technologies in wholesale power markets.
viewpoints
Energy & Sustainability Regulatory Updates — September 2024
September 3, 2024 | Article | By Steven Shparber
In energy-related litigation news, FERC will host a Commissioner-led Technical Conference Regarding Large Loads Co-Located at Generating Facilities on November 1.
Navigating the Post-Chevron Landscape at FERC: What Clean Energy Companies Really Need to Know
July 16, 2024 | Webinar | By Steven Shparber, Omar Bustami
Learn about upcoming energy industry events, including the EnergyBar Summer Rooftop Party.
FERC’s Landmark Transmission Order: Takeaways for Clean Energy and Energy Storage Companies
May 21, 2024 | Article | By Steven Shparber, Omar Bustami, Julia Hutchinson Morton
Read about the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s Order No. 1920, a Final Rule relating to long-term regional planning and regional cost allocation, and how it could impact those developing, owning, and investing in clean energy generation and electric storage resources.
NERC Submits Work Plan for New Reliability Requirements to Apply to Inverter-Based Resources
January 26, 2024 | Article | By Steven Shparber, Omar Bustami
Read about NERC’s strategic Work Plan for implementing new reliability standards for inverter-based resources (IRBs) in response to FERC Order No. 901. Learn more about NERC’s comprehensive plan addressing the rapid growth and integration of IBRs like solar PV, wind, and battery storage into the bulk power system.
Electric Storage Resource Growth and Deployment: A Tale of Two Markets
December 8, 2023 | Article | By Steven Shparber, Omar Bustami, Manushi Desai
Read about some of the significant drivers of the rapid growth of electric storage resources seen in California and Texas, the market participation opportunities available to electric storage owners in both states, and regulatory and interconnection challenges facing electric storage developers more generally.
What Regulatory and Commercial Challenges Are Utility-Scale Renewable Energy Projects Facing? — Insights from Mintz’s Second Annual Energy Transition Summit
October 26, 2023 | Article
During the What Regulatory and Commercial Challenges Are Utility-Scale Renewable Energy Projects Facing? fireside chat at Mintz’s Second Annual Energy Transition Summit, Mintz Member Steven Shparber and attorney Omar Bustami discussed the regulatory and commercial challenges facing utility-scale renewable energy projects.
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Issues Landmark Order to Improve Generator Interconnection Processes Across the US
August 2, 2023 | Alert | By Steven Shparber, Omar Bustami, Xandy Walsh
On July 28, 2023 the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission issued Order No. 2023, a landmark order in which the Commission concluded definitively that the existing pro forma generator interconnection procedures and agreements are insufficient to ensure that interconnection customers are able to interconnect to the transmission system in a reliable, efficient, transparent, and timely manner. Read more to learn about the Order.
News & Press
FERC’s Landmark Interconnection and Transmission Reforms: What Are They, and Will They Survive?
October 9, 2024
Member Steven Shparber and Associates Omar Bustami and Julia Hutchinson Morton co-authored an article in PV Tech about the US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission introducing significant transmission reforms aimed at easing interconnection bottlenecks.
Mintz Partners with The Engine for Tough Tech Week ’24
September 24, 2024
Mintz is pleased to be the exclusive legal partner of The Engine’s 2024 “Tough Tech Week” summit taking place October 7-11 in Boston. The Engine is an accelerator program started by MIT that works together with Engine Ventures, a premier VC investor, to address the planet’s most challenging problems through coordinated innovation.
FERC Tees Up Big Transmission Rule
May 13, 2024
Closing 80+ Deals in 2023 Totaling $4B - Mintz Continues Commitment to Energy Transition
February 12, 2024
Mintz’s Energy & Sustainability practice continued its commitment to energy transition with more than 80 deal closings totaling $4 billion over the past 12 months, as global investment in energy transition showed continued strength in an overall down market.
Mintz Announces Record Member Growth in 2023
December 22, 2023
Mintz proudly announced the election of 13 attorneys to Members and the addition of a record-setting 22 new lateral Members in 2023, with 11 Partners in the newly opened Toronto office. This diverse group strengthens Mintz’s core areas, spanning Commercial and IP Litigation, Life Sciences, Tech, Private Equity, and Energy & Sustainability. The elevated Members and new lateral additions bring invaluable expertise to help clients navigate complex legal landscapes.
Mintz Adds Energy Regulatory Atty To Transaction Team
July 12, 2023
The arrival of Energy & Sustainability Member Steven Shparber was featured in Law360.
Mintz Adds Prominent Energy Regulatory And Transactional Attorney Steven Shparber In D.C.
July 10, 2023
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Mintz is pleased to announce that Steven Shparber has joined the firm as a Member of the Energy & Sustainability Practice in the Washington, D.C. office.
Events & Speaking
Navigating the Post-Chevron Landscape at FERC: What Clean Energy Companies Really Need to Know
Virtual Webinar
2024 Clean Energy in North Carolina (CLE)
FERC Watch: Panel
Raleigh Convention Center, Raleigh North Carolina
Publications
- Co-author, Split (Non)Decisions: The Practitioner’s Guide To Section 205(G) Of The Federal Power Act, EBA Brief of the Energy Bar Association (June 2022)
- Co-author, Capacity as a commodity: A new (but familiar) way of rethinking capacity markets for a clean energy future, Utility Dive (February 2021)
- Author, Southeastern utilities’ energy market proposal appears to be less than it may SEEM, Utility Dive (July 2020)
- Author, Are Regional Transmission Organizations the Future for Renewables in the Southeast?, Renewable Energy World (August 2019)
- Author, INSIGHT: Renewables’ Next Frontier: Regional Transmission Orgs, Environment & Energy, Bloomberg Law (May 28, 2019)
- Co-Author, Customer Focused and Clean: Power Markets for the Future, (November 2018)
Recognition & Awards
Euromoney Legal Media Group: Rising Star Award (2019)
Involvement
- Member, Energy Bar Association